


Tainted Love

by SParkie96



Series: Teen Heroes Universe [2]
Category: Marilyn Manson (Band), Multiple Crossovers - Fandom, Original Work, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Claiming, Demonic Possession, Dream Sex, Haunting, Multi, Rape/Non-con Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-20
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-04-10 09:27:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 30,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4386557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SParkie96/pseuds/SParkie96
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack Dublin is being haunted by a ghoulish figure by the name of Carmine, a demon hell-bent on claiming him as his own. Rated M for Suggestive Themes, Language, and Violence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Miss Me?

**Author's Note:**

> Connected to the Teen Hero Universe. This fanfic will be mostly oriented around my male OC, Jack Dublin, a character who is best friends with Sami Parker (my main OC). Carmine is also an OC based off of the singer Marilyn Manson. Carmine, a demon that corrupts the innocent, is obsessed with Jack.

It was an unusually hot night in Middleton. The humidity rose, causing the air to become disgustingly hot and sticky. This also caused the only occupant in Osborn Manor to release a moan of annoyance.

Said occupant went by the name of Jack Dublin, the teenage son of Harry Osborn and heir to the Oscorp Company. The blond was also known as the Teen Hero Hoverboard with a costume that closely resembled that of his father's Hob-Goblin costume. He and his father had saved countless lives helping out the Avengers and SHIELD.

At the moment, however, Jack did not feel very heroic. He actually felt really hot and uncomfortable, not to mention restless. He let out another groan. The damned heat was making it nearly impossible to sleep. He huffed and threw off his night shirt as well as the covers, leaving him clad in nothing more than his black sweatpants.

The blond turned over to lie on his back, trying desperately to get comfortable enough to go to sleep. The Air-Conditioning was still under maintenance and therefore was not working, thus leaving him to try and cool off and sleep. His green eyes glanced over to check the alarm clock and rolled his eyes. It was almost twelve o'clock and he had school in the morning. He would be lucky if he could get any sleep, let alone enough to function.

Before he could roll back over, a hissing sound coming from the corner of the room caught his attention. He jerked into an upright sitting position as he stared toward the corner in which the sound originated,

"What was that?" he whispered.

Another hissing sound, this time closer to his head, caused him to jerk his head toward that sound. The only thing he could see was the shadows dancing across his walls thanks to the light of the moon that bled through the blinds. He released a breath that he did not know he had been holding.

This had been happening for several nights now. Rest never came easy to him anymore. He always felt as though he was treading on thin ice and jumping at the smallest of things. Ever since the arrival of the latest villain.

A ghoulish demon who went by the name of Carmine. His features resembled that of Marilyn Manson, gothic get-up and all. The memory of the man made Jack's skin crawl. Everything from the terrifying chalk white skin that was cold to the touch to the greasy black hair. He could practically still feel the razor sharp claws biting into his shoulders as a snake-like tongue and equally sharp teeth brushed against his cheek.

Of course, this encounter never  **actually** happened in real life. All of them happened in his dreams. And these encounters seemed to only happen to him, no one else. He had consulted with his teammates about it, but none of them ever encountered the demon. Nonetheless, Sami and his father said they would keep a look-out for him should anything happen.

That would be hard for them to do considering Sami was on an off-world mission for SHIELD. His father was on a business trip in New York for Oscorp and took their butler with him, leaving him by himself for a couple of days. He just hoped that Carmine would not show up while no one was here with him. Knowing the demon, he probably was hiding in the shadows somewhere.

Jack shivered at the thought as he attempted to fall asleep once more. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he shoved any mental images of the demon out of his mind as he had tried to find peace.

At least, that was his intention. Until a gaunt white face with blank eyes flashed in his mind, causing him to jerk into a sitting position once more. With a shaken breath, he decided that he would not be getting any sleep tonight as he climbed out of bed. He sat his arms on his knees and cradled his face in his hands, rubbing at his face in irritation. As much as it would have been nice to go back to sleep, sleep did not seem like much of a possibility right now.

He needed a drink, preferably alcoholic. As much as it killed him, this whole situation may just make him an Alcoholic. Unfortunately, alcohol was his salvation at the moment. He had been prescribed sleep pills, but they had stopped having an effect on him long ago. He had tried variations of deep meditation to try and strengthen his mind against Carmine, but that did not help much either.

Carmine had made sure of that a long time ago. The ghoul had been haunting Jack for quite a while now. The man had developed a sort of...infatuation with him and did not plan on leaving him alone any time soon. As he descended the steps, he thought of all the threats the demon had promised to deliver to his family and friends, should Jack not cooperate. Several of which were delivered in the form of nightmares while others came to him in the form of day dreams. All of the messages showed his father, Sami, and friends being tortured or killed.

With the shake of his head, Jack finally made his way down to the kitchen. He was not aware that it was such a long walk down the steps. He stepped behind the kitchen island, pulling out the bottle of whiskey from the bottle rack from underneath. He pulled a glass out from the cupboard as well as some ice from the fridge before pouring in the liquid into the cup. He took a swig, feeling the alcohol burn his throat on the way down.

This needed to end. He could not keep doing this forever. He already knew what the demon wanted, it was just a matter of defeating the demon without putting anyone else at risk and how. Sami may have some equipment leftover from her Ghost Hunting days, but he was not exactly sure of how good all of that would fair against a demonic entity. Pulling out his cellphone, he remembered to grab it before coming down, he went to text Sami.

Until the phone's battery suddenly went from one-hundred percent to zero percent in two seconds. The lights in the kitchen began flickering on and off. He could hear the dishes and utensils shaking in their cupboards and drawers. The temperature in the room suddenly dropped so low that he could see his own breath. The hissing noise he had heard upstairs followed him, morphing into haunting whispers around him. That could only mean one thing.

" _Naughty, naughty boy. Aren't you a little young to be drinking alcohol? What would your Daddy say?"_ a voice hissed, as his glass seemed to float in mid-air.

Jack's breath was caught in his throat as he watched the glass tilt and the liquid disappear. Green eyes widened in fear as the shadows morphed into a figure directly across from him. The shadowed figure became more detailed, morphing into the terrifying form of Carmine, who smiled at the blond with those razor sharp teeth. The demon gave a chuckle, setting the glass down on the counter.

The blond gulped, still unable to find his voice. Carmine was here, in his home...in real-life. This was not a dream. This was actually happening. Carmine chuckled again, walking through the island as though it was not actually there. Jack gasped, backing away from the island until he was leaning against the opposite counter. Carmine closed the distance between them, placing an arm on either side of Jack. He was trapped...the damned demon had him trapped.

"Oh, m _y dear little Jack-Rabbit, you look so scrumptious. I could just eat you up._ " Carmine hissed, face coming closer to the blond's own.

Jack cringed and tried to pull away as the demon ran his tongue along his cheek. He felt his heart pounding in his chest as he suddenly had a hard time breathing. He found himself speechless. What the hell was he doing here? Well, he actually knew the answer to that. That did not answer the question of why he was here in the flesh, er, protoplasm? There were claws biting into his hips, causing him to grunt in pain.

" _Oh, my dear boy, don't you know it's rude to not speak when spoken to?_ " Carmine asked.

The stench of dead corpses nearly gagged the blond as the other breathed on him. Did this guy ever hear of mouthwash? Or did they not have that in hell? Before he could actually make a witty-quip, those cold blue lips suddenly forced themselves on to his own. Jack let out a muffled yelp, feeling that slimy snake-tongue creep into his mouth and prodding the inside. Jack wanted to puke, the demon tasting of rotten eggs and sewage as he made out with the younger. Before the hero could lose consciousness from lack of oxygen, the demon jerked away and cackled.

" _What an interesting taste you have, my dear. So sweet!"_ Carmine said, licking his lips.

Jack could not hold in the urge to vomit as he threw his head into the nearby trashcan. He vomited the contents of his stomach until he was dry-heaving. He could hear the demon behind him cackling and calling him rude. A cold hand on his back made him pull himself together, standing before the demon.

"What do you want?" Jack asked, trying his best not to sound horrified.

Carmine laughed,  _"You know exactly why I am here, Boy-Yo. I figured I would drop by and claim you since Daddy-Dearest left you here all defenseless and such."_

'Well, shit.' Jack thought, backing away again.

He looked down at his phone, as if waiting for the battery to go from zero to one-hundred percent by itself. When he looked back up Carmine was suddenly in his face again, eyes staring into his. Jack was stuck, unable to tear his eyes away from those soulless white pits. Carmine made a comment about his eyes, saying that they were such pretty eyes, making the blond shrink back even more. He wanted to move away completely, but he could not look away. He felt like he was unable to, like the demon had some type of hold on him all of a sudden.

Carmine caressed Jack's cheek softly, the blond still mesmerized by the other's gaze. This caused the demon to laugh in amusement. He knew that his Supernatural Manipulation would work on the blond, he just wasn't expecting it to work without some sort of fight. He commanded the younger get on his knees for him. The blond responded beautifully, getting down on his knees, not once looking aware from Carmine's stare.

What the hell was going on? Jack's body moved against his will and he had a feeling he knew why. Supernatural Manipulation: When a spirit is able to not only move things, but is also able to control someone else's mind without the use of possession. At least that was what Sami had said. He knew he was prone to this, he was only human after all. The only difference between then and now; sleep deprivation. Had he been able to obtain more sleep, he may have been able to put up more of a fight against Carmine's hold.

Carmine chuckled, " _Well, well, well. You look so beautiful like this, Jack-Rabbit. On your knees and at my mercy. If only I could claim your soul now,"_ he said, looking to the window, sneering at the rising sun, " _but alas, the time is not right. I have to break you completely and isolate you before I can take you fully. Fortunately for you, I am out of time. Till we meet again, Jackie-boy."_

And with that, Carmine had vanished, as did his hold on Jack. Jack gasped as his mind was freed, bracing himself on his hands and knees. Peering over at the kitchen clock, he had to hold in his shock. Was it four in the morning already? How? When he was able to fully grasp everything that Carmine had said, he felt ill. He threw his head back into the trashcan again, retching even more.

Once he was done, he looked down at his phone. It was at ninety percent battery and he had three missed calls from his father and two from Sami, as well as several other calls from Kim, Ron, and Ben, all leaving texts asking if he was okay. He played the voice-mail out loud, Harry's panicked voice asking if everything was alright and that the alarm system had detected an intruder at 11:30 but had just notified him. He had also reported that Sami had sent him a message to check on Jack, but had not been able to get a hold of him. Jack looked down at what time the voice message was received, which was at twelve-fifteen. Jack sat down on the kitchen floor, back against the fridge as he returned his father's call and held his head in his hand.

Harry didn't even give him a chance to say hello, as he informed his son that he was ending his trip early and he was on his way home already. This made Jack feel worse, feeling as though he was to blame for all of this. He just listened as his father explained that when they got home he was going to call Jack out of school and that he would take off work and they could have a Father-Son day. While his father spoke, Jack took in shaky breaths as he tried to calm himself down.

Carmine was going to come back to claim him, and Jack knew deep down; nothing was going to stand in his way.


	2. Let the Isolation Begin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Isolation is only the first step in your breaking, Jack-Rabbit."

The next day, Harry Osborn came home and found his son asleep on the kitchen floor by the refrigerator. The blond was shivering, causing Harry to drop his things and run to his son’s side. He called Barnard to go get a blanket, hot tea, or something as he shook the blond furiously, trying desperately to wake him.

Once Barnard came back with a blanket and tea, Harry wrapped Jack in it and lifted. Though he had some trouble getting a grip on the boy, the billionaire had successfully carried Jack over to lay him down on the couch. He gently lifted the young male into a sitting position, shaking him gently.

Jack let out a groan as something cool pressed itself up against his lips. Thinking that Carmine had returned already, he lashed out. It wasn’t until he felt the scolding hot liquid fall onto his legs did he realize it was a cup of tea that was being given to him. He let out a yell and threw off the blanket before jumping off of the couch. His startled green eyes made contact with his father’s worried brown eyes.

“Jay…” Harry said slowly, holding out a hand like one would to a scared animal.

Jack watched, still trying to process what was going on. His father and their butler, Barnard, watched him with worry evident in their eyes. He looked down at the mess he had made, his favorite mug laid in pieces all over the living room floor and tea soaking through between the cushions of the leather couch. Jack looked back up at his father and Barnard, apologizing to them profusely.

Harry did not let the boy continue, embracing him in his arms. The hug wasn’t as awkward as Harry originally thought. He now realized that Jack was almost as tall as himself and almost as big in muscle mass as well. He cradled the blonde’s head in his hand before kissing the boy on the forehead. Barnard told Jack that everything was alright, but Jack just shook his head in response.

“Everything is far from okay, Barnard. It will never be okay.” Jack said with a shaky breath.

            Before Harry could even question why Jack had said that, the blonde’s phone rang. Jack sighed, taking his cellphone out of his pocket, looking at the screen. He asked his father to excuse him for a moment so he could answer it. Harry allowed it, watching the boy retreat into the corridor.

            Once Jack was away from Barnard and his father, he answered the phone. He told the person on the other end that he would be right there. He went down the steps to answer the door. He opened the door to reveal the worried face of Sami Parker. The brunette hung up the phone and embraced him tightly. She apologized for not being there last night and that she rushed over as fast as she could. Jack tried to reassure her that he was fine.

Though she mentally did not believe him, she nodded, not wanting to upset him even more. He let her in, telling her to quietly head upstairs and that he would explain what had happened when he got up there. He then told his father that he was going upstairs to catch up on some sleep.

Harry nodded, knowing that Sami was actually going to be up there with him. Her father was Spider-Man, and Harry KNEW how Peter Parker behaved. And whether the brunette girl would admit it or not, she acted exactly like her father when he was her age. Harry used to sneak Peter in through the front door and distract his father while Peter snuck upstairs. So it was no surprise that Jack and Sami had inherited that same behavior.

Jack headed upstairs, being sure to shut the door behind him. He locked it just in case so no one could interrupt them. He turned his attention back to the brunette, who was sitting on his bed. He walked over calmly, sitting down beside her. They just sat there in silence, staring at each other. Jack eventually turned his gaze downward, feeling the piercing blue eyes of his friend staring at his head.

Sami cleared her throat, “So…why don’t you tell me exactly what happened?” she asked.

            The blond took in a deep breath, turning his gaze back to her. He started off by asking if she remembered how it was kind of hot and humid last night. She nodded, waiting for him to continue. He then explained that he couldn’t sleep last night and then he heard strange noises, almost like a hissing sound.

“Was there a rotten smell in your room shortly after this sound occurred?” Sami asked.

Jack shook his head, “It smelled like the outside. I had left my window open a crack in order to let the air circulate a bit.” He explained.

“And the sound didn’t come from outside?” Sami asked.

            Jack shook his head again. Sami nodded and let her friend continue. He went on that the sound made him paranoid and thus left him restless. He went downstairs, to grab a drink. Though he didn’t specify what kind of drink, he could tell by the look on Sami’s face that she knew it was of the alcoholic variety.

“In my defense, I thought that would help with my sleeping issue.” Jack explained.

“I know what you were trying to do. You don’t need to explain anything. Alcohol, especially in that size of a glass, would not cause someone to hallucinate.” Sami said, “Though, I have to ask: what happened with your sleep pills?”

Jack shrugged, “They just…stopped working one day. I went to take them, and couldn’t sleep that night.” He explained.

            He went on to further explain that he didn’t actually drink the full glass of whiskey either. He took a sip but then that’s when Carmine showed up. Carmine drank the rest of it and that’s when he had him pinned up against the counter. He went to fight Carmine, but then Carmine used Supernatural Manipulation. This caused Sami’s eyes to widen in shock. She then asked what color Carmine’s eyes were.

Before Jack could tell her, his mind suddenly went blank. His facial expression darkened, looking very confused, upset, and…kind of angry. Sami gave him a worried look, shaking his at his shoulder. She called out his name, but his only response was to turn his eyes toward her in a blank stare.

“Jay? Are you okay?” Sami asked.

If it was possible, her eyes widened even more. She was no longer looking into Jack’s green eyes. No, instead, she was now staring at blank white eyes. Her breath hitched, as her Senses went nuts. Oh, no…

“No, actually, I’m not!” Jack hollered, shoving Sami down on the bed.

“Jay!” Sami hollered.

“Shut the hell up, Swine.” Jack said, but there was something different about him.

His voice took on a demonic tone as his face got closer to her own. Her senses were still going nuts and cringed at the smell of his breath. He smelled like sewage, and his hands were freezing against her arms. His eyes were blank, literally. They were whited out; no irises, no pupils. His usual friendly aura was no longer present. In its place was a malevolent aura. There nothing pleasant or friendly about this new presence.

Jack was having that “Trapped in My Own Body” feeling again. This time, however, it felt like he was being forced to watch a movie through a camera. He also did not feel alone in his own mind this time. It felt as though there was someone in there with him. Through the “Movie Vision” he saw his body holding Sami down on to the bed. He tried to fight against this force, trying to gain control of his arms to let Sami go. He then had a sudden headache as Carmine probed his mind,

“ _Let’s make the girl cry, shall we?”_ Carmine hissed.

“No!” Jack protested, watching helplessly.

            Carmine, in Jack’s body, grabbed at Sami’s hair and pulled. This forced Sami’s head back into the bed at a painful angle. Sami grunted, wrapping her hands around the other’s throat. She didn’t want to hurt him too bad but she couldn’t let him hurt her if she was going to help him. She squeezed gently, cutting off the oxygen from his throat to his lungs. “Jack” laughed.

“Stupid bitch! You think that’ll work? You probably want me to hurt you. You like feeling pain. Just look at what happened between you and that ex of yours.” He ground out.

Sami paused, but didn’t let go, ‘It’s getting desperate now. Just ignore it and don’t let it bother you.’ Sami mentally reminded her mind.  

“It probably wasn’t really rape, you were just upset because you liked the pain and didn’t want to admit it.” Jack laughed.

‘Don’t listen. Don’t listen…’Sami chanted.

“Or did it upset you because it wasn’t me on top of you?”

            Sami snapped, flipping the other off of her with a demonic roar. Jack’s body hit the wall before crumbling to the floor. Sami panted, trying to control her anger. She could not let her demonic anger get the best of her if she was to help her friend.

            Carmine laughed, applauding the girl for letting her temper get the best of her. He mocked that he would have made her scream, that she would have bled more and that she would have loved every second of it. He also taunted that it was her own stupid fault that she got stabbed and that her recklessness was the reason she lost her babies to begin with.

            Sami held in her anger. She had to tell herself that the demon was doing this so it could stay. So that it could live in Jack’s body. Once he brought up the stabbing, however, she almost lost it. That was something that they promised not to talk about ever again. Now this demon was using it against her to rile her up to attack Jack. She had to reach Jack somehow.

            Unbeknownst to her, Jack was trying his damn best to free himself of Carmine’s control. Carmine was too powerful. He just would not stop. Jack screamed out against Carmine, but the demon laughed, ignoring his pleas. He then told Jack that he promised to break the boy, and what better way to start then to target the Best Friend?

            Sami didn’t know how much longer she could handle this. She was not usually one to become bothered by verbal insults and taunts. Considering who was slinging the insults, they had more of an effect. Jack grabbed her and threw her through the door.

            The sound of smashing wood caused Harry to jump to his feet and run upstairs, grabbing one of his pumpkin bombs along the way. He showed up in time to see Jack punching Sami repeatedly in the chest, face, and shoulders. He hollered Jack’s name before prying the blond off of the brunette. Sami backed away, holding her bleeding nose. Jack let out a demonic screech and thrashed in Harry’s arms. Harry called Barnard, asking him to bring up a Sedative Needle.

            Once Barnard came up with the needle, Sami helped Harry hold Jack down as the butler stabbed the blond in the bicep. The thrashing became weaker as Jack slipped into unconsciousness. Once he was fully knocked out, Harry let him go and demanded an answer from the brunette.

“Un-Uncle Harry. I think Jack is possessed. We need to get him to an exorcist immediately.” Sami explained.

“What? Samantha that’s insane!” Harry explained.

“Well, if we get there by-wait, what?” Sami asked incredulously.

“Possession? Really? That’s ridiculous.” Harry said.

Sami shook her head in disbelief. What? He fought monsters, supervillains, mythical beasts, Asgardian Gods, and other supposedly non-realistic beings all the time and Harry Osborn did not believe in ghosts or demons? What the hell sense of logic is that? She tried to persuade him further, but Harry was having none of it. He explained that maybe Jack was just hallucinating from lack of sleep. He then had Barnard to escort her out. Barnard hesitantly did as he was told, leading Sami out.

“Bernard, Jack is possessed! Not crazy!” Sami hollered.

“Miss. Parker, please do not shout. I believe you. I just do not understand what has gotten into Master Harry. For now, play along and head on out. Call back later with the number of that exorcist and I’ll see if I could talk some sense into Master Harry.” Barnard explained.

Sami sighed, “Thank you, Barn. You’re the best.” She said, leaving.

            Meanwhile upstairs, Harry lifted Jack up and tucked him into his bed. He laughed manically. Carmine laughed as he jumped from Harry’s body into the blonde’s body, leaving Harry confused as to what had just happened. With a shrug, Harry kissed his son’s forehead before exiting.

            In Jack’s mind the blond cried out and screamed at Carmine to leave his body immediately. Carmine just laughed in response.

“ _I told you, Jack-Rabbit. I’m going to break you before I claim you. Isolation is only the beginning, and I will make sure that Demonic Friend of yours will not be able to help you. Hell, by the time we’re done, she’ll hate you even more than she does now!”_ Carmine taunted.

            Jack awoke in his bed, feeling tears drying on his cheeks. He looked around, calling out for Sami, but remembered that she had gone. He let in a shaky breath, wishing that he had gotten the chance to apologize to her before she had left.  


	3. The Isolation Continues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A terrible accident befalls someone close to Jack.

Jack let out a yawn as Barkin continued to drone on and on about classroom misconduct and proper school behavior. Originally they were supposed to be talking about Western Civilization. Unfortunately, thanks to Brick Flagg and his “Magnetic Spitballs” and their attraction to the back of Barkin’s skull, they were currently listening to one of the angriest “Rules & Regulations” lectures they would ever hear in their entire lives. Jack had a bit of a harder time listening and paying attention.

            Carmine, of course, was still ever present in his mind. He was causing Jack mischief, using his powers to distort and distract the blonde’s mind. Jack had to restrain himself from letting out sounds of distress and refrain from paying the demon any mind. At the moment, that was proving to be quite difficult.

            The first time the demon acted up was when Carmine made his way to the front of the class, making it seem like he was going to stab Barkin with his claws. Jack was about to warn Barkin, only to realize that he was the _only one in class_ who could actually see Carmine. He tried to keep calm and continue to pay attention to the lesson, but realized he must have made some type of noise because Ron nudged his leg and asked if everything was okay. Carmine continued to move about the room, acting as though he was going to kill off one of Jack’s classmates.

            The next time was when Carmine ran his claws across a desk, drawing out a horrible screeching sound. Jack cringed, trying to block out sound that sounded like nails on a chalkboard. Again, he seemed to be the only one that could see and/or hear Carmine. He shook his head, trying to focus once more. He was half-tempted to tell the demon to buzz off, but he knew that would be a futile attempt. The demon just continued to distract him.

            Speaking of distractions, Jack looked to the desk to his right. Where was Sami? She should have been here by now. He figured that she must have slept in, considering he had to have his father drive him into school for the first time in a while. Come to think of it, another thing he had not seen done in a while was Ben and Gwen taking the bus to school. He remembered seeing them coming off the bus this morning. Though, if Sami was running late, her parents would have dropped off Gwen and Ben.

            The brunette was hardly known for missing school…actually, she was very well known for missing school. It was only because of “Hero Business” of course. If that was the case, however, she would have let Jack and the others know that she would be running late. 

Maybe she was avoiding him after what had escalated yesterday. He did, Carmine did, say some pretty hurtful things to her when everything went down. Though, he was pretty sure she would have dropped Ben and Gwen off herself before skipping school, instead of just letting the kids ride the bus. It just seemed like a coincidence that the brunette had decided not to show up after everything that had happened yesterday.

Which had Jack thinking that something else was going on. There was a nagging feeling at the base of his skull as well as a sinking feeling in his stomach. He also noticed that Carmine had been humming happily this morning before Jack had to leave for school. The demon’s taunting smile looked a bit more menacing than it usually did.

“Benjamin Kirby Parker, please report to the office. Benjamin Kirby Parker, please report to the office. Thank you.” A woman called over the loud speaker.

Jack looked up at the speaker in the ceiling with a strange look. What the hell…why did they need Ben in the office? He was a good kid! Jack looked over to Kim and Ron, who sat in front of him, as if silently asking them to explain. Both of them just shrugged, looking just as confused as him. They broke off their confused stares as Mrs. Lamor, the school secretary, rushed in with a piece of paper in hand.

            “ _This is going to be good. The excitement is just killing me!_ ” Carmine hissed, sitting in Sami’s seat.

            Jack flashed the demon a warning look before turning his attention to the distraught looking secretary. She looked slightly disheveled as well as very worried, her makeup running a bit. Mr. Barkin had ceased his lecture the second she walked in, giving her his full attention. She sniffled once and leaned into his ear to whisper something. Judging by the look of shock and worry that flashed the usually serious man’s face, the news must be bad. Barkin pulled away from Lamor in disbelief, asking if she was serious. She nodded sadly and handing him the paper before leaving the room.

            Jack raised a brow, exchanging confused looks with Kim and Ron once more. What the hell was going on? Why was Carmine chuckling?

            Mr. Barkin cleared his throat shakily, “Uh, sorry for the interruption, class. I-I’m afraid I have some…very unfortunate news for you all. Ms. Parker will not be joining our class for a while. She-She has been involved in a terrible car accident that left her in critical condition at Middleton Medical.”

            The news was so shocking that Jack swore he even Bonnie Rockwaller let out a gasp. The class murmured among themselves, seeing if anyone knew what had happened. Kim and Ron stared at their teacher in disbelief before looking toward the blond, as if asking if this was really happening.

Jack was speechless. How could he not? His best friend was lying on a hospital bed in the ER. He could not believe this. It still was not processing in his mind; the words “Sami” and “Critical Condition” should never be used in the same sentence. What the hell had happened? When the hell did this happen? He had not hurt her that bad, had he? Getting on to shaky feet, Jack gathered his things and made a break for the door. Barkin tried to stop him, and Kim called for him, but he pushed past them anyway.

Middleton Medical was not too far from the school. If he jogged, he should make it there in ten, maybe fifteen minutes tops. Carmine chased him as he cackled psychotically, taunting him and telling the blond that he’d better make it there before it was too late. Jack was too worried about Sami to listen to whatever shit the demon was spewing. After reaching the front entrance of the hospital, the blond took the time to catch his breath before proceeding inside.

Doctors and Nurses rushed around, trying to continue their work through the paparazzi and the Police officers fending off the paparazzi. Several news stations were there as well, badgering the staff for information on Sami’s accident. A couple of the paparazzi and news station reporters recognized him and immediately starting taking pictures and interrogating him,  

“Jack Dublin! Any idea what happened to Sami Parker? Do you have time to do an exclusive interview?”

Shielding his face away from the camera, Jack pushed his way through as he tried to get to the information desk. He remembered shoving a couple of cameras out of his face. One of which he shoved a bit harder than the others, but only because Carmine was behind it. Once at the desk, he asked the nurse at the desk for the room number that Sami was in. The nurse almost told him to buzz off, but realized who he was. She pulled him aside and told him quietly. He nodded and thanked the nice nurse, before making his way upstairs.

He had finally reached the door with a relieved sigh. It did nothing to ease the fear of what was on the other side of the door. Carmine chuckled, debating whether or not the brunette was alive or not. Jack rolled his eyes and took a deep breath as an attempt to calm himself. Before he could knock, the door opened on its own. Jack looked up at the sad face of Peter Parker. The man greeted the younger male with a half-smile, but broke down. He stepped aside to let the younger inside. Jack looked passed the older and nearly lost it.

Lying unconscious on the hospital bed was his best friend. Sami was hooked up to several machines as well as an oxygen tank. Her face was covered in cuts and there was a large bruise on her cheek. She must have had cuts and bruises on her arms as well, judging by the bandages on her arms. The heart-monitor beeped at a steady pace in the background. He could not imagine what else lay underneath her hospital gown or the covers. Bloom sat by the bed crying, petting her daughter’s hair gently. She looked over at him and smiled half-heartedly.

            “ _Doesn’t she look lovely? Death really looks good on her.”_ Carmine hissed in his ear.

            “What…what happened?” Jack asked, approaching the side of Sami’s bed.

            Bloom sniffled, “It must have happened sometime last night into early this morning. Sami…Sami didn’t come home last night and she didn’t call. Her father and Tony went out looking for her. SHIELD sent out a Search Team.” Jack’s breath hitched as he listened, his eyes looked over Sami’s prone form.

Bloom continued, “Agent Morse and Natasha found her car flipped over on the side of the road a couple of blocks away from our house. SHIELD said it looked like someone ran into her car at full speed. They found her inside barely breathing.” she explained.

Jack gulped, “Why isn’t she healing?” he asked.

Bloom shook her head. She explained that no one knew what was wrong, just that Sami’s powers were not working all of a sudden. It was just…strange. Jack swallowed the lump in his throat. He hesitantly reached his hand out to hold Sami’s. He squeezed it gently, hoping that the unconscious meta-human would magically wake up and squeeze his hand back. He felt a stray tear roll down his cheek.

Peter came back into the room, telling his wife that there were some Police Officers and SHIELD Agents that wanted to talk to them. He also mentioned that they wanted to talk to them about what had happened. Bloom nodded and told Jack that they would be right back, asking him to keep an eye on Sami. He nodded as he watched Peter wrap an arm around his wife before they left the room. 

Jack turned his attention back to his unconscious friend. She looked so peaceful lying there, totally oblivious to the chaos of the waking world. Carmine materialized on the other side of Sami’s bed and sneered at the brunette. He made a remark, saying something along the lines of being disappointed about her not really being dead. Jack ignored him, watching Sami lay there.

There was a knocking at the hospital door behind him and the person on the other side twisted the doorknob. It sounded like the door was about to open. He could see Carmine disappear out of the corner of his eye. He sighed and released Sami’s hand. Before he could get away from the bed and greet whoever was entering, Sami’s hand shot out and grabbed his arm. He let out a yelp as the world became a blur.

                                                           xXx

One minute he was standing in the hospital room, the next, he was standing in Sami’s room. He looked around in confusion. How the hell did he get here? Wasn’t he just in the hospital room? He turned around looked over at Sami’s bed and nearly jumped.

Sami sat upright, clad in a hospital gown. She was staring at him with a blank look on her face. Jack stared back, eyes wide with fear. He tentatively said her name, but she only tilted her head in response. He tried again, this time asking if she was okay. She did not answer. She just continued to stare at him with that blank stare. Piercing blue eyes bore into his green ones as he just stood there staring at her. It was really starting to get weird.

He sighed as he broke eye contact with her to look around the room. Seriously, how did he get here? The blond tested all the doors and windows. Every time he opened a door, there was nothing behind them except a wall. Behind each window was an endless void of stars. What the hell is going on? He turned back around to try and convince Sami to tell him what was going on.

As soon as he turned around, he came face-to-face with Sami. With a startled cry, Jack fell backward and on to the floor. Sami stood above him, staring down at the blond.

“What has gotten into you? What is all this?” Jack hollered, demanding an answer.

Sami tilted her head at him again, “Is _he_ with you?” she asked in a whisper.

Jack narrowed his eyes at her in confusion, “What? Who? Is who with me?” he asked.

Sami leaned down closer, “ _HIM._ ” She growled out.

“…Carmine?” Jack asked.

As soon as the demon’s name left his lips, the whole room began to quake around them. Jack panicked as he got up to shield Sami from any debris that would soon fall from the ceiling. Sami just looked up at the ceiling, unamused by the sudden movement. She looked toward the blond, as if questioning what he was doing. He looked at her, following Sami’s finger as it stopped in front of her lips in a shushing motion.

“Yes, _him._ ” She said, voice becoming a normal tone.

The room stopped quaking, everything becoming calm once more. Jack took a deep breath and shook his head. He explained that he could still be at the hospital. Sami gave him a confused look, raising her brow. Jack mirrored that look, asking her if she knew where they were.

She nodded, “Uh, yeah. We’re in my room.” She answered.

“How? Why aren’t we at the hospital? How are you conscious?” Jack asked.

“What are you talking about? Why would we be at the hospital?” Sami asked.

“…You really don’t remember?” Jack asked.

Sami shook her head. Jack sighed, and explained what had happened. The brunette looked at him in disbelief as he told her everything. Sami let out a shaky breath. When he had told her what she had done, she gave him a look of shock. She mumbled something under her breath, but Jack was not sure of what she was saying. It sounded like she had said, “I did it”. He asked her what she was talking about. Sami chuckled, explaining that it was another Supernatural ability of hers. She could finally meld her subconscious with someone else’s.  

That could actually be pretty useful.


	4. Safe Haven of His Own

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Sami is trapped in her own body, things are not looking so good for Jack.

"So, how banged up am I?" Sami asked, taking a seat on her "imaginary" bed.

He chuckled at her question, unsure of exactly how to explain her condition. She had just finished explaining that the room they were currently in was not actually her room. It was actually a type of supernatural realm she had conjured up in her mind. Kind of like a Mental Safe Haven. Now, she wanted to know how she was doing in the "Real World". Jack felt kind of nervous. He could not just come out and say, "Hey, you know your Invulnerability? Yeah, that is not working anymore and no one knows why". He looked up at the brunette, who was awaiting an answer.

He sighed, "You're in pretty bad shape. You have lacerations and bruises all over your body. You actually sustained a broken nose as well as a broken wrist. Currently, you're actually lying unconscious in a hospital bed."

Sami gave him a puzzled look, "How is that possible? Is my regenerating ability not working?" she asked.

Jack shook his head, "They don't know why." He answered.

Sami sighed. She dramatically threw herself across the bed in frustration, her puzzled look turning into a thinking face as she tried to figure out why her powers may or may not be working. She looked toward him, inviting him to sit next to her. He complied without another word, lying next to her. They both stared at the ceiling as if the answer would just magically appear before their eyes.

"Did they try cleaning out everything completely?" she asked, taking on a questioning tone.

Jack nodded, "They even used tweezers and alcohol. They also did an X-Ray to make sure they got any and all debris." He reported.

A huff, "Infections?" she asked.

"Blood came back clean."

"Magical interference?"

"Your mom said the room was all clear. She didn't sense anything out of the ordinary."

"…Supernatural Interference." Sami deduced.

Jack chuckled, "Well the only one that would be able to tell us that is currently lying unconscious in a hospital bed."

"Well wake her ass up." Sami said with a chuckle.

They both chuckled a bit before giving a sigh. Sami became serious once more, explaining that Supernatural Interference had to be the reason for her powers not working. It could also be responsible for why she was still unconscious and in a coma-like state. If not, then she would have been up walking around without a single scratch. Jack just shrugged, suggesting that Carmine had to be involved. When Jack said the demon's name, the room began to quake again. The brunette rolled her eyes and willed the room to become still once more. She then scolded the blond for using the demon's name.

"Why is that?" Jack asked.

"Demons are not welcomed in other demons' domains. Even if this is a mental realm, it still throws off the balance. Saying their name alone can cause a disturbance." Sami explained.

"So, he's like Voldemort now?" Jack chuckled.

"…Who?" Sami asked.

Jack gave her a look, "Have you ever read Harry Potter?" he asked.

"Was I supposed to?" Sami asked.

Before Jack could reply to the other's sarcastic remark, he felt a tugging on his shoulder and suddenly started shaking. Almost like he was undergoing a seizure. It also felt like someone was trying to shake him awake. He looked toward the brunette for help, but she just watched helplessly. The ceiling then opened up and a bright light poured into the room. Someone was calling his name. The light blinded him as the last thing he heard was Sami calling out to him. Everything dissipated in the blinding light before everything went dark.

* * *

Jack awoke with a gasp as the bright florescent lights of the hospital room blinded him for a minute. He then started coughing as he struggled to regulate his breathing. Once the coughing stopped and his eyes adjusted to the light, he could see Kim and Ron towering over him. A nurse sat between the two, shining a small pen light in his eyes to see if the blond was okay.

He lurched forward into a sitting position, nearly colliding skulls with Ron. After he took in his surroundings, his mind confirmed that he was in fact back in the hospital room. He gave a hopeful glance toward Sami's body, but then sighed in disappointment. The brunette was still unconscious, lying on the bed. He really should not have expected differently. Jack turned his attention back to the other occupants in the room.

Kim cleared her throat, "Ron and I heard what happened to Sami and were able to get out of school to come and visit. When the nurse showed us Sami's room, we watched you faint. You've been knocked out for a bit." She explained.

"Oh…" Jack trailed off.

"You missed it, dude," Ron began, "Right before you fell to the floor, it looked as if Sami had a hold of your arm."

"She did?" Jack asked.

Kim shook her head, "Don't listen to him, Jay. Ron's just a little upset about this. We all are. Besides, there's no way Sami could even move in her condition."

" _Maybe she's become a ghost and passed on. Speaking of passing, where have you been, Young Man?_ " Carmine hissed, materializing next to Sami's bed again.

Jack gave the demon a glare as the nurse helped him up off of the floor. If only Kim knew how right Ron actually was. For once, he actually  _was right._  Before he could finish his train of thought, he felt someone grab his arm. Said someone happened to be the nurse, who was inspecting his arm. She asked where he had gotten this bruise from. With a look of confusion, Jack looked down to see what the nurse had been talking about. Green eyes widened at what he had seen.

On his wrist where Sami had grabbed him earlier was a bruise. The funny thing about it; it was the shape of a handprint. The print looked to be about the same size as Sami's own hand. He heard Kim let out a sound of awe, her pale fingers tracing over the mark. He could also feel Carmine looking over at it curiously. Contrary to the coloration of it, the bruise did not hurt. It was just an alarming sight to behold. Though, in his opinion, it did not look like a bruise. It looked more like a scorch mark. Either way, the nurse still wanted to examine it further so she had him sit down while she grabbed more tools.

"Where did this come from?" The nurse asked, using a light to check for abrasions.

Jack looked over toward Sami's unconscious form. Kim followed his gaze before turning to give him a look of disbelief. He cleared his throat and lied, telling the nurse that he could not remember where he had gotten it. The nurse hummed in disapproval as she wrapped it in a bandage and put an ice pack over it. She told him to keep the ice on it to keep the swelling down, though there was not really any swelling present to begin with. Once that was done, she went over to check Sami's vitals before she swiftly left the room. Once the door shut behind her, Kim snapped her head back to Jack.

"You can't seriously expect me to believe that Sami did this to you?" Kim said with a huff.

"Kim, she reached out to me through her mind. She said it was a way to…" Jack began.

"Jack. She's unconscious. She can't move." Kim deadpanned.

"No, really! She-" Jack went to explain.

At that moment, Bloom and Peter walked in. Ben was with them, his father holding on to his shoulders as he braced the boy for what he was about to see. The blond could tell that the second Ben laid his eyes on his sister's form that he was absolutely heartbroken.

Ben broke free of his father's hold and ran to his sister's bedside, tears falling from his eyes and down his cheeks. He threw himself over the limp body, hugging it tightly. He turned back to his parents as he demanded an explanation for why Sami's powers weren't kicking in to save her. Peter sighed, telling the boy that the doctors did not know why and could not find anything to help them figure it out. Ben just shook his head, holding on to the brunette's hand with one of his own.

Jack watched, waiting for Sami's hand to latch on to Ben's arm like it had done to his. So far, she had not moved, but what should he really be expecting? It just laid limp there in Ben's grasp. Jack sighed, wondering what could be preventing Sami from becoming conscious. He also wondered why she had grabbed him, but not Ben. He felt Peter tapping at his bandaged arm, causing him to look up at the Wall-Crawler.

"I don't remember you walking in with this earlier. What happened?" Peter asked.

"Oh, this? I must have gotten it when I passed out." Jack lied.

Peter raised a brow, "You? Pass out?" He asked in shock.

"Yeah."

"When? While you were in here?" Peter asked.

Kim intervened, "Yeah, he said Sami grabbed his arm and caused him to pass out. I said there was no way she could have done anything. Am I right?" she asked.

She received silence in return. Peter and Bloom exchanged shocked expressions. Kim looked between the two, asking them what was going on. Even Ben was giving the red head a shocked expression. They then looked toward Sami. Bloom moved closer to her daughter, her hand glowing bright yellow as she laid it over the brunette's forehead. Everyone watched the Fairy as she shut her eyes, seemingly looking for something.

" _What do you think she's looking for, Jackie? Care to share with the rest of the class?_ " Carmine asked, getting close to Jack's neck.

Jack tilted his head away from the demon as he continued to watch Bloom. The glow around her hand faded away as she pulled it away from Sami's forehead. The fairy opened her eyes and looked toward her husband, shaking her head. Peter let out a disappointed sigh as Jack looked between the two anxiously. What? What happened? Why was she acting like that? What the hell was wrong? Bloom released a sad sigh and looked toward Jack. The blond did not like the look he was getting from the red head.

" _Uh, oh. Looks like she didn't find what she was looking for. Do I see a stay at the Nut House in your future?_ " Carmine asked, chuckling at the other's misfortune.

Bloom put her hand on Jack's shoulder, "Sweetie, it…it doesn't look like Sami is even capable of Realm Creation yet. There's nothing but darkness in her mind at the moment." Bloom explained.

"What? How? I just…I saw it! I was there!" Jack protested.

"Jack, you may have just dreamed it when you passed out." Bloom explained.

The blond shook his head as his breath hitched again. No, no! Sami  ** _was_** capable of Realm Creation! He saw it! He was freaking there! As if to prove his point, he threw the ice pack away from himself and violently began to rip off the bandages from his arm. He needed to show them that he didn't just dream it all up. He felt Peter grab his wrists to restrain him, telling the blond to stop before he hurt himself. Jack protested, telling the older that he needed to show them something.

Over Peter's shoulder, he could see Carmine laughing at him. The demon kept his hand hovering over Sami's chest right above her heart, his claws pointed downward. He was going to stab her, how the hell could no one else see that? Jack called out and protested as Carmine lowered his hand, plunging it into the unconscious brunette's chest. Sami's heart monitor then began to beep rapidly, causing Jack to rip himself out of Peter's grasp. He ran over to the hospital bed, scaring Ben away in the process. Jack hollered at Carmine, demanding he cease what he was doing.

Bloom jumped away from the bed as well, taking Ben into her arms. Kim and Ron watched as Peter grabbed at Jack, who was raving mad and yelling at the corner of the room. Bloom watched in concern as Jack called for help before going back to yelling at the empty corner once more. What the hell had gotten into him? Had he finally lost his mind? She heard voices on the other side of the door, nurses and orderlies asking if everything was okay in there. They then threatened to call security.

Unbeknownst to the rest of them, Jack was not just yelling at an empty corner. He was yelling obscenities at Carmine, who just laughed and mocked him. Jack turned toward Bloom, asking if she could see Carmine sitting in the corner. She stared at him in fear, shaking her head rapidly. Peter had finally managed to get Jack into some kind of hold, wrestling the blonde's arms so that they were twisted and held behind his back.

The door to the room was kicked opened as a nurse, two orderlies and a doctor came rushing in, several security officers standing close by the door. Other doctors and nurses ran in to tend to Sami, who had flat-lined. They used the defibrillators as they repeatedly shocked Sami back to life. After several shocks, Sami's heart-rate was back to normal, but she remained unconscious. This just left them to deal with the crazed and raving mad Jack Dublin.

Though Peter told them that he had a hold of Jack, the orderlies did not care. They wrestled the blond away from Peter's clutches before pinning him down on to the floor. The doctor yelled for them to hold the teen still. The doctor then stabbed Jack in the back of his shoulder, causing him to release a pain filled shout.

The blond gasped for breath as he laid on the cold tile floor, the orderlies still holding on to him. He weakly tried to thrash and get away from them, but his every move felt as though he was treading molasses. A choked off cried escaped his mouth as he was flipped on to his back. His world started spinning and he found it hard to focus on the doctor above him. They freaking sedated him and now he was drugged. He thought he heard his father's voice in the room, but it was kind of hard to tell due to the fact that everyone's voices sounded distorted. He continued to just lie on the floor and stare up at the ceiling.

Carmine came into his line of sight. He then crouched down lower so he could get a good look at Jack. He clapped his hands together and patted Jack's cheek,

" _Oh, Jack-Rabbit. Look at you. You're such a mess. Everyone you know and love will abandon you. Don't worry, my dear. Soon, you will belong to me."_ Carmine chuckled.

That haunting white face of his tormentor was that last thing the blond saw before blacking out.


	5. Oppression

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack's life is just a downward spiral.

The room felt like it was spinning and his head felt very heavy. With a groan, Jack opened his eyes.

            It looked familiar, but it was definitely not the hospital. A familiar looking brunette was staring down at him, patting his cheek lightly. Sami watched his face, concerned about whether he was okay or not. Her hand lay on his cheek as she softly called his name. He gave her a smile, caressing her cheek with his own hand. He reassured her that he was okay, moving his hand from her cheek to brush his fingers through her hair.

            “What happened?” Sami asked.

            “I-Carmine killed you and I tried to stop him. Your parents saw me hollering at him, but they couldn’t see him. The doctors and orderlies ran in and grabbed me. They stuck me with a sedative. He continued to hurt you.” Jack explained.

            Sami’s eyes widened in shock, “…but he stopped. The doctors saved you. You’re still alive, but I’m pretty sure I won’t be allowed to find out.” Jack said.

            “Why? Why would that… Sami said, but realization washed over her as Jack gave her a look, “…they think you’re insane, don’t they?”

            Jack nodded, “I have feeling I’m not going to like what happens when I wake up.”

            _“You’re right! You’re going to love it!”_ Carmine voice hissed.

            The room began to quake, more violently than last time though. Sami and Jack exchanged scared expressions as the ceiling began to crack. Carmine’s dark claws poked through, as though trying to pry the ceiling open. Sami hollered, demanding the demon leave at once. He chuckled, telling her that she had no authority over him. The ceiling came off completely, revealing his gigantic form. Sami pushed Jack out of the way to prevent him from getting crushed by debris.

            A grunt escaped the blond as he landed several feet away on the hard floor. He snapped his head up and gasped. Sami lay motionless under a pile of debris. Jack let out a shout as he ran over to her. He was so close to her before one of Carmine’s huge hands scooped him up, fingers wrapped tightly around his lower half. He struggled against the other’s hold.

            “Let me go, you bastard! I need to save her!” Jack protested.

            The demon let out a chuckle. His other hand used a single claw to move Sami’s hair out of her face, applying slight pressure as if about to crush the brunette’s skull. He stopped his movement when Jack began to thrash wildly in his hand, using his fists to pound into the hand holding him.

“No! Leave her alone!” Jack hollered.

“ _Oh, stop it. She lives…for now. Her subconscious is just…unconscious at the moment. I’ll be sure to sever the connection between your minds later.”_ Carmine chuckled, bringing the younger male closer to his face.

He used his massive tongue to lick Jack’s torso and head. Jack cringed as he tried to lean away from the offending organ. When Carmine was finished, a slimy residue was left behind, leaving the blond with a warm and wet feeling. It also left him feeling disgusting and violated. Jack let out a disgusted shiver.

“ _Now, time to wake up and show the waking world how crazy you really are.”_ Carmine said before throwing the blond into his mouth.

* * *

 

 Jack woke up screaming as he thrashed about. This caused one of the orderlies to come over and hold him down as another came over to tighten the restraints around his wrists and ankles. Harry and Peter rushed over, but the orderlies did not allow them to get too any closer. The orderlies warned the two that Jack could become violent and did not need them getting any closer.

Jack’s eyes snapped open, revealing blank white eyes. He let out a ferocious growl as he managed to rip his arm free of the restraint. His free hand wrapped around the closest orderly’s throat and squeezed, cutting off the older male’s airway. Then, he threw the older man away from himself with inhuman strength. He managed to rip the other arm free and tackled the remaining orderly to the ground. He wrapped both his hands around the man’s throat as he strangled him.

“JACK, STOP!” Harry demanded, as he tried to pull his son off of the man.

The blond didn’t listen and didn’t budge either. Peter intervened as he managed to pry Jack off, releasing the orderly in the process. Jack let out a demonic roar, as he managed to turn around in the other’s grasp and punch him in the face. The force of the blow sent Peter backward and away, but the blond wasn’t done with him yet. Jack let out another screech and jumped at Peter. The web-slinger managed to flip out of the way and stick to the ceiling.

When Jack landed underneath of the older brunette, Peter fell down on him, holding the boy down on to the floor. He sat on the other’s pelvis while he tried to restrain his arms. He succeeded in grabbing one, but the other arm was still free. It clawed and punched him while Jack growled at him. Meanwhile, the orderly called for help on his walkie-talkie. When Peter went to grab Jack’s other wrist, Jack’s free hand wrapped around his wrist. Peter froze, suddenly unable to move.

He could hear Harry yell out to them, but it sounded muffled. Peter looked up at Harry for a second before looking back down at Jack. Jack suddenly looked terrified. Tears fell from the boy’s now green eyes as he cried. He heard the boy’s breathing hitch as he struggled to speak. Peter released the younger’s arm from his hold.

“Jay?” Peter whispered.

“Help…me...” Jack whispered.

“Wha-what? What’s gotten into you?” Peter asked.

Jack went to respond, but froze, eyes widened in fear as he stared at something behind the older. Peter gave the blond a confused look, causing Jack to point at something behind the Web-head. That was when Peter’s Spidey-Senses went off, going absolutely nuts and giving him a headache. The older male slowly turned around to see what Jack was looking at. Now, he understood why Jack looked so terrified.

Behind him, there was a tall, gaunt looking male with haunting white eyes. He had sharp teeth with matching claws. He smiled down at them, making a hissing sound. Peter heard Harry ask what was going on, but Peter didn’t answer. He couldn’t stop staring at that scary looking guy standing right behind them and his senses wouldn’t quit. The demon released a roar that sounded a lot like the one Jack had released earlier, causing Peter to back away from the demon and off of Jack.

More orderlies rushed into the room, causing Carmine to dissipate from sight. Two orderlies made a grab for Jack causing the blond to kick and scream. He begged them not to sedate him again, but they still held him down anyway. One orderly came over to inspect his co-workers while another inspected Peter. Peter sat frozen on the floor, watching Jack. The blond looked up at him with pleading eyes, begging Peter to help him. One of the two orderlies holding him down pulled a needle from his uniform, uncapping it with his teeth. He pulled the sleeve of Jack’s t-shirt out of the way before stabbing him in the arm.

“No! Please…” Jack protested weakly.

“Sir, are you alright?” an orderly asked Peter, flashing a pen light in his eyes.

Peter narrowed his eyes as he batted the other away, telling them that he was fine. He turned his attention back to Jack. The blonde’s eyes fluttered as he fought to stay awake, weakly trying to pull himself out of the orderlies’ iron-like hold. He and Jack made eye-contact, staring into the glazed eyes of the teen. The blond whimpered, asking Peter to help him. Peter just gave him a pitiful look, not exactly sure of what to do.

A doctor came in with a male psychiatrist close behind. The doctor ordered the orderlies to take Jack out of the room and into another part of the hospital. The orderlies nodded and non-too-gently dragged the blond away. Harry ran after them, causing Peter to do the same. Before they could get close to the door, the remaining orderlies blocked them off.

“That’s my son! Where are you taking him?” Harry yelled.

“You must be Mr. Osborn. I am Dr. Leonard Samson. I’m sorry but we have to take your son to our Psychiatric Ward for treatment. He is showing very violent behavior and is clearly a danger to not only himself, but to others around him.” The psychiatrist said.

“Samson? Didn’t you used to work with SHIELD at one point?” Peter asked.

Leonard smiled and nodded, “Yes. Yes I did…Spider-Man.” He replied.

Peter gave him a look of astonishment. Leonard chuckled but then stopped as he got serious once more. He turned back to Harry, “Jack is showing signs of Schizophrenia and it is clearly making him violent. He needs treatment right away. Do you know how long he’s been acting like this? What could have caused this?”

Harry shook his head in disbelief, “My son is **not** crazy! He doesn’t need psychological help! He’s coming home with me!”

“Mr. Osborn, I understand that but…” Leonard began.

“Then let me take him home!” Harry hollered.

“…I’m sorry, but I can’t allow that. The boy needs help.” Leonard said sadly.

“What my son needs is his father.” The billionaire snapped.

With that, Harry gave a frustrated sound and pushed passed the orderlies, as he ran down the corridor after his son. Leonard gave a sigh and called out to Harry, chasing after him. The remaining orderlies filed out of the room as well. Peter stayed behind and watched as everyone left, still left in a state of shock after witnessing that demon. As the last two or three orderlies left the room, Peter saw something, or someone, standing in the corridor in front of them. He gasped as he saw exactly who it was.

In the corridor, looking very much alive and well stood Sami. She stood in a hospital gown, watching the orderlies leave before turning to stare at him. The orderlies simply passed her, as if she was not there. It actually seemed like they did not see her at all. It was almost like she was a ghost or something. He whispered her name as he approached her. He reached a hand out to touch her shoulder.

At least he tried to, but his hand passed right through her shoulder. With a startled gasp, Peter jerked his hand back as if he had been burned. Sami did not seem phased by the action, watching as his hand passed through her shoulder. She then looked back up at her father and then hugged him. The action startled the older as she did not pass through him like he did her. The younger brunette sniffled and pulled away with sad eyes.

“…How?” Peter asked as he went to put his hands on her shoulders. This time, however, they did not pass through.

“I-I was trapped in my own body. When Carmine ripped through into my mind, it must have…where’s Jay?” Sami asked, looking around.

Bloom rushed into the hallway, “Peter? Honey? Are you okay? What’s with all the-?!” Bloom asked, but covered her mouth in shock at the sight of Sami.

Sami looked at her, tears in her eyes, “Mom!” Sami yelled.

She ran over and hugged the fairy. Bloom stood there in shock as her daughter embraced her. She was at a loss for words, doing double-takes between her daughter’s unconscious body and her daughter’s, well, daughter. Bloom stuttered as she tried to figure out what the hell was going on. She asked how the younger brunette was doing this considering that her physical body was still lying in the hospital bed. Sami told her that there was no time to explain and that they needed to find Jack before it was too late.

* * *

 

Jack gave an experimental tug on the sleeves of the straight-jacket he was forced to wear. He had no idea where he was exactly. All that he knew was that the orderlies had put him in a straight-jacket and sat him down in this oh-so-lovely padded room. He let out a groan as his arm started cramping. He looked around the room to the best of his ability and saw that there was one window and one door. He could not see a security camera, but no doubt there was probably one hidden somewhere.

 _“Why are you worried about security cameras? Afraid they’ll catch you talking to yourself?”_ Carmine asked.

Speak of the devil. It figured the damn demon would show up. Why would he not? It was just him and Jack in a nice cozy room where they could have a nice, private conversation. The damned demon would probably take advantage of the privacy as a chance to make him seem even crazier than he already seemed. Or take this opportunity to “Take Him” whatever the hell that entailed.

“ _Hm, as nice as that sounds, that would not be possible. At least not here where someone might hear you scream.”_ Carmine said, pinching at the blonde’s cheeks.

Jack grunted, but he did not move. He did not want to make it obvious that Carmine was here, just in case there did happen to be security cameras present. If he did react too much to the demon, there just may be a slight chance of him getting out of here. Well, assuming Carmine did not possess him again and make him act like a schizophrenic psycho on steroids.

Now that he thought about it, he might **not** be getting out of here after what had escalated a couple of minutes ago. After he had gone “beast-mode” and attacked everyone, he was surprised that Security did not just come in and haul his butt off to jail. He nearly killed two guys and injured a third, one of which was a very famous superhero and his best friend’s father. Not to mention he had caused some property damage to some expensive medical equipment.

 _“Prison is no place for such a pretty little thing like you. Do you know what they would do to you, my little Jack-Rabbit? Not that I would let those meat sacks touch you…”_ Carmine asked.

An image of some big burly man bending him over in a prison cell was not exactly something he wanted ingrained in his brain at the moment. The teen shivered at the mental image in disgust. He would thank the demon for such a lovely mental image, but he preferred not to acknowledge him. He was still hell bent on getting out of here, and he planned to not give them anymore reasons to throw him into an actual Mental Institution.

The only door in the room opened and once again Carmine had dissipated from sight. Some guy with green hair dressed in a turtleneck and dress pants walked into the room, a clipboard and manila envelope in hand. He looked over his glasses at Jack with a smile. A security guard walked in and placed a seat down in front of where Jack sat. The green-haired guy thanked the officer before taking a seat. The security guard nodded, closing the door behind him when he left.

Once the green-haired guy got himself situated, he clicked his pen and wrote something done on his clipboard. He placed his iPhone on his knee, turning on the voice recorder. He looked over at Jack, and cleared his throat. The man introduced himself as Dr. Leonard Samson. He said Jack’s full-name, “Patient Interview One” and the date before actually greeting Jack directly.

Well, it looked like he might be going to the nuthouse after all.


	6. My Soul to Take

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack makes the ultimate sacrifice for the ones he loves.

“Now, Jack. I’m here to help you get better.” Dr. Samson said, writing down some notes as he observed Jack.

            The blond sat down across from him, glaring up at the doctor. He knew why this guy was here, to prove what the doctors and everyone else was probably thinking: he was mentally unstable and needed to go away for a while. To “Get Better”. So what did they do? Lock him in a room with a shrink who thinks he needs Psychological Help.

            No, what he **_needed_** was an Exorcist. He wanted the Church’s help. He needed them, not this screw ball. No, this guy would sit here and tell him that “Ghosts were not real” and “No one can actually be possessed, they’re actually sick”. Yes, because a sick person would be fully capable enough to have the strength to throw a fully grown man across the room on their own without any type of supernatural influence once so ever.

            “I know why you’re here.” Jack replied.

            Dr. Samson smiled, “That’s good.”

            “You’re here to prove that I am actually crazy and need to be locked up in the nut house.” Jack said.

            The Shrink frowned and rubbed the bridge of his nose, “I can tell you’re going to be an **_interesting_** case – I am here to do the exact opposite, Mr. Dublin. I’m here to keep you out of the “nut house”, not put you in it.”

            “Yeah, sure.” Jack replied with a roll of his eyes.

            Dr. Samson took in a breath as he tried not to lose his temper. He clicked his pen a few times as he listed some qualities that the boy had, being sure to say “Sarcastic”, “Arrogant” and “Ignorant” out loud. This caused Jack to glare at him harder and bit his lip. Oh, how badly he wanted to sit here and curse the other out, but that would not exactly help his current situation in the slightest bit. For now, he just had to tolerate his presence and play along and hope that Carmine would not interfere.

            Speaking of which, the demon stood behind the shrink in the far corner of the room, tsking Jack for being so rude to the good doctor. He then chuckled quietly in amusement. Jack took a deep breath, focusing on Samson. If he did not pay any mind to Carmine, the odds would be in his favor.

            Or at least he hoped so.

            “Now, Jack,” Samson began, “I understand that you lost your mother and sister at a young age. A car accident, correct?”

            Jack nodded, “I was nine or ten when it happened, so I was not that young.” He explained.

            “So, it happened about four or five years ago?”

            “Yes.”

            “Have memories of this event triggered any schizophrenic occurrences in the past?”

            “No, sir.”

            Dr. Samson hummed and nodded his head, scribbling some notes down in his notebook. Jack just watched, trying to get the mental images of his dying mother and sister in a fiery car wreck out of his mind. He could still see the bloody hand of his mother reaching out to him from within the mangled car, her broken face and dying eyes pleading for him to help. He had to swallow back a sob and shook his head. This so was not helping him right now.

He felt something soft touching his cheek and realized that Dr. Samson had wiped away his tears with a handkerchief. He thanked the doctor, sniffling back the rest of his tears. The doctor nodded, stuffing the cloth back into his breast pocket before jotting down some more notes. He continued on, asking Jack about his life since then and then asked about a little before that event. Jack answered honestly, trying to keep any mention of Carmine out of his answers.

“I noticed that you mentioned Ms. Parker-Sami a lot when you answered. I understand that you two are best friends, but you speak as though there is something more between you two. Am I correct?” Samson asked.

Jack froze, feeling like a deer caught in headlights. Could there have been something more between Sami and himself? He did not know how to respond, shrugging in response. There could have been something there, but then again, there could not have been and he was just jumping to conclusions. He looked passed the psychologist and saw Carmine, who mouthed “Liar” with a frown.

Samson nodded with a chuckle, “Okay, okay. How about a change of subject then, hm? When did these occurrences begin?”

The boy sat there and tried to remember exactly when they had started. He had explained that they may have started a month or so ago. They started off as nightmares and just began to bother him in the waking world a couple days ago. He explained that he saw a terrifying man with monster-like features. He stopped, waiting for Samson to finish what he was taking note of.

Samson finished before looking to Jack, “Is there something wrong?”

A deep breath, “Doctor? Do you believe in demons? Like the supernatural?” Jack asked hesitantly.

The doctor gave another hum, “I think I’m pretty open-minded. Never seen one for myself, but I can’t deny their existence. Is there a particular reason you asked?”

Jack looked passed him as Carmine gave the blond a warning look. Jack wanted to so badly tell him, but he was not sure what Carmine would do if he did. So, he asked the older man about demonic possession. Samson told him that it could be possible for a spirit possess someone, but then added that he had never seen such a thing up close. Jack just gave an “Oh” in response, eyes still locked with Carmine. He wasn’t really paying attention when the doctor asked him if he believed himself to be possessed by the Monster-Man, so he took the boy’s silence as a “No”.

An alarm on the shrink’s phone went off, pulling Jack’s attention toward the noise. Samson sighed as he turned off the infernal device. He informed the boy that time was up and that it was time for him to go. He went to shake Jack’s hand, but then retracted his hand when he remembered that Jack could not shake his hand. He informed the blond that he would meet with him at the same time tomorrow. Leonard then called in a guard to wait a little bit before taking Jack to a nicer and more comfortable room…and to remove that damned straight-jacket!

The guard nodded, closing the door behind himself and the doctor. Once the door closed, Jack was left alone with Carmine once more. The demon strut toward the blond, hands clasped behind his back. One hand came out to caress the boy’s cheek, causing the blond to lean away from the unwanted touch. Carmine was having none of it as he moved his hand to the boy’s chin, roughly pulling so Jack was forced to look him in the eye.

His other hand waggled his finger in front of Jack’s face, “ _Tsk, tsk, tsk. You almost spilt the beans back then, Jack Rabbit. You really should be more careful._ ” Carmine scolded.

Jack grunted as he struggled away from the other, “I wanted to tell him without actually telling him, but I wasn’t sure what you would do if I did.” Jack spat.

The demon chuckled, “ _Smart boy. If you did, then I’m afraid I would have had to go back upstairs and finish what I had started with Ms. Samantha. I know just how much you like that little abomination. It would be a shame if something bad would have to happen to her…well, worse than what already happened_.”

“Why? Why her? I have other friends, why target just her?” Jack growled out.

Carmine looked down at the boy as if he had just asked the dumbest question in the world, “ _You really are oblivious. You like her more than a best friend. You **love her.** Besides, she’s a thorn and like all thorns, she has to be removed. Just like I had removed the other two that stood in my way.” _ Carmine hissed, pushing Jack down to the floor.

“Other two? What other two?” Jack asked, but then thought about it, becoming angry once more, “I swear if you touched my Dad, Barnard, or any of my friends, I’ll-!” Jack warned.

Carmine laughed in a way Jack had never heard him laugh before. It was a sinister sound that reminded him of a bunch of children laughing at once, but with a demonic tone to their little voices. Knowing Carmine, it may have been the voices of his past victims. Nonetheless, it was a sound the blond never wanted to hear ever again. If he had been able to, he would be covering his ears to block out the sound.

And just like that, the sound ended as it died down to just giggles. Carmine pretended to wipe away a stray tear as he held his aching stomach, “ _Oh, you poor, poor, oblivious little pet! If only you knew what I really meant! I didn’t kill any of your little friends up there!”_ he exclaimed happily.

Jack just stared at him in confusion and shock, “You…you didn’t?”

 _“No! The two that I’m referring to have been dead long before any of this! I bet you can’t figure out who they are. I’ll give you a hint…”_ Carmine said, clearing his throat, “Come on, my little Jack Rabbit, eat your carrots like a good little boy.” He said, his voice changing drastically.

The blonde’s heart nearly stopped in his chest, frozen in realization. That voice…it sounded like…

“Stop it, Blondie! I’ll tell Mom!” the demon said, this time in a different voice.

“No…” Jack said, backing into the corner of the cell slowly.

“The wheels on the bus go round and round. Round and Round. Round and…” Carmine said in a combination of the two voices, before Jack heard the sound of a car being smashed into bits.

“STOP!” Jack shouted.

Carmine didn’t stop. He continued on, begging in Jack’s mother’s voice to save him. He then switched into Jack’s sister’s voice, calling him a failure that he did not even try to save them. That it was all his fault. He then began mocking him in both voices, telling him to just give up and surrender himself over to the demon.

Jack tucked himself into the corner, sobbing hysterically as he thrashed about. He tried to desperately free himself from the straight-jacket. He wanted out. He needed out. He screamed at the demon to stop, to just leave him alone before he finally lost it. He apologized continuously as though his mother and sister were actually there in front of him. He explained that he tried to save them and that he could not. Images of that day sprung into his head as they pounded into his brain. A haunting reminder that would be with him forever. He brought his knees up to his chest and tucked his head into his legs, squeezing his eyes shut as the voices continued.

Then, everything became quiet all of a sudden. Really, really quiet. Cautiously, Jack opened his eyes, seeing black and white sneakers before him. Attached to them were jean covered legs, a torso clad in a black camisole and a head with brown and white hair. He looked up into the apparition of his best friend as her blue eyes stared down at him in curiosity. Something was different and he did not know what until he realized that she was shorter than she actually was.

In front of him stood a ten year-old Sami Parker and he was sitting in the backyard of her old house. Just like he had the day after he lost his mom and sister. The young girl put her hand on her knees as she bent down closer. She looked into his eyes, looking for an answer,

“Jay…I know you’re upset…but it wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t do anything about it.” She explained, her voice higher than it actually was supposed to be.

The blond just looked at her, at a loss for words. It was like Déjà vu. Like he was living that day all over again. He went to explain to her that it was, only for the scene to change again. He heard something that sounded like rock and debris falling as they crunched into the floor of the room. He covered his head to protect himself.

When he opened his eyes, he realized that he was reliving that moment in Sami’s mind. When Carmine had somehow gotten through and crushed her under the debris. He looked over and, sure enough, the brunette laid seemingly lifeless on the floor under the debris. Again, he wanted to rush over to her, but he was frozen in his spot. Carmine reappeared in front of him, telling him that he would kill everyone the blond knew and loved if he didn’t come with him. He then held out a clawed hand for the blonde.

Jack looked down at the limb. His green eyes then trailed over to Sami. She was no longer under debris, but lying peacefully in her hospital bed. Her chest rose and fell at an even pace, indicating that she was still alive. His dad stood over her next to Peter and her mother, watching the girl sleep. Kim and Ron sat on the other side doing the same as Kim comforted Ben. As much as he really did not like the idea of going with Carmine, he couldn’t lose his family. Not again.

His breath hitched, eyes still on his family and friends, “If I go with you, you’ll leave them alone?” he asked, quietly.

Carmine nodded, “ _Yes.”_

“You promise?”

Carmine smiled, drawing an X over his heart with a claw “ _Cross my heart and hope to…well, you get the idea.”_

Jack nodded. The demon chuckled and teleported them out of the padded room and into the real hospital room. It was like the demon knew what his final wish was. He asked the demon to give him a moment. To his surprise, Carmine allowed it, telling him to take all the time he needed, but not too much time. With another nod, Jack headed over to Sami’s bedside as his arms were now freed of the straight-jacket.

The occupants of the room looked over at him in shock. Bloom and Peter had asked how he had gotten away from the orderlies whereas as Kim and Ron wanted to know where he had gone. Harry had not cared, as he went to embrace his son. Jack stopped him, telling him that he did not have much time. Harry gave him, like everyone else, gave him a look of confusion. Jack shook his head and hugged his dad. He told him that he loved him and to take care of Shep for him while he was gone. He broke away and gave everyone else hugs, tears in his eyes as he did so.

“Jack, this isn’t funny. What’s going on, man?” Ron asked when the blond hugged him.

“You’re scaring us.” Kim explained.

Jack didn’t answer. He just gave them hugs and told them good-bye. He approached Ben, who looked terrified. Another sob wracked the blond as he ruffled the young brunette’s hair before embracing him. He told him that he was the closest thing to a little brother he had and that he was going to miss him very much. Ben didn’t answer because he did not understand what was going on. Jack turned to Peter and Bloom, thanking them for taking care of him. He explained they were also like his parents. He then turned to Sami.

This was going to be slightly more painful than the rest, mainly because the brunette was **_still_** unconscious and therefore probably could not hear him. He got in close, giving her a tight hug as best as he could. He whispered something in her ear that no one else could quite hear, just in case there was that one chance that she would hear him, before kissing her on the forehead. He told her that she was the best thing that could have ever happened to him and that he was sorry for not telling her that sooner. He gave her another kiss and said his goodbye.

Unbeknownst to him, Sami’s “Spirit” stood at the end of the bed with tears in her eyes. She had covered her mouth in shock after what he had just whispered into her ear. Her heart was breaking and she wanted to so desperately reach out to him to tell him not to go. That there had to be another way. She reached a hand out to his back.

As soon as she did, a course of electricity shot up her arm. She let out a cry and jerked her hand back in pain. She held it close to her chest and looked at it in confusion. What the hell had just happened? She looked up and gasped.

Around Jack’s entire middle was black smoke. It trailed around him like rope, the end of it running out the door and into Carmine’s hand. Almost like some kind of leash. She gave the demon a glare, only to receive a taunting smile in return. He bragged that he had won and that she couldn’t help the blond if she tried. The brunette clenched her teeth and fired a fireball at the demon in anger. He swatted it away as though it were nothing, explaining that trick only worked on the physical plain, not the supernatural. She stood and watched helplessly as Jack backed away from everyone.

Jack took another deep breath, trying to block out everyone’s pleas. They were confused, asking, or demanding, to tell them what the hell was going on. He wanted to tell them, honestly he did. It was then he realized that Carmine had made himself known to the rest of them. Their eyes wide with horror at the sight of the demon. He placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder, explaining that Jack was going on a permanent vacation. Peter and Harry became angry as they charged the demon, but were thrown back by an invisible force. Jack went to rush to their sides, but was pulled back and pressed against Carmine’s body.

They then disappeared into a cloud of smoke as Carmine transported them away.

Without warning, the brunette’s heart monitor beeped rapidly. Sami regained consciousness. The wires in her arm were ripped out as her body shot up, a hand reaching for where Jack once stood.

“NO.” was the only thing she had said.  


	7. Claimed

It was cold, that much he could tell. Jack opened his eyes to take in his surroundings and shivered. The room was plain, no bed, no decorations, nothing. It was just a cold, bare, concrete room with one window and a door. He looked down to see that his shirt was torn to pieces and his pants gone, clad in his boxers. He had to wrap his arms around himself in order to stay warm, watching his breath appear in front of him in a puff of smoke-like air. Jesus, it was freezing in here! He slowly got up off of the floor and stood on shaky legs.

Not that he cared or anything, but where was Carmine? Now that he was in the demon’s grasp, why was he left alone? Was this just another one of Carmine’s attempts to break him some more? Another shiver wracked his body, making Jack gasp in pain. Why was it so freaking cold in here? If it stayed like this any longer, Jack would surely go numb. His skin was practically turning blue. He continuously rubbed at his arms, legs, and hands, but to no avail. No matter how hard he tried, he just could not get warm. He approached the door and gave it an experimental tug and cursed. Damn, locked.

“C-Carmine!” Jack said aloud, straining a bit to do so. He could not believe he was calling out to the demon for help.

A smoky black cloud billowed in from the crack underneath the door; a menacing laughter rang throughout the room. The smoke formed a full-body apparition before transforming into Carmine. The demon’s smile spread wide, as he stared into the blonde’s green eyes once more.

Jack found himself unable to turn away from the other, stuck in a trance once again. His mind tried desperately to fight Carmine’s control. No, not again! His head shook wildly as he tried to break free. His hands grasped at his ears, blocking out the demon’s haunting whispers in his brain. It wouldn’t stop. The whispers got louder and louder and he just could. Not. Take it! He wanted to resist, but the whispers were just so promising…

A single claw caressed his cheek, causing him to release a different type of shiver as a moan passed his lips. Carmine chuckled as his other hand ran through his blond hair. The younger released something that sounded like purring as he relished in the soft touch of the demon. The sounds and movements were involuntary, the demon manipulating him into being comfortable with this whole situation.

Another moan escaped his throat as the claws trailed from his cheek to his neck, down to his chest. The sharp talon ripped up the shredded cloth as it trailed over his slightly scarred pectoral area. Those sea-foam green eyes never broke contact with Carmine’s cold and lifeless ones, never wanting to leave their master’s face. It was almost as if he did not want to miss something. Like that if he were to look away, Carmine would disappear from his sights.

In reality, Jack could not move his head. Not unless he was commanded to. He was forced to watch from inside of his mind as Carmine twisted his mind to obey his commands. The blond fought mentally, but physically his body would not listen. He felt his mind complying to even the smallest of the elder's touches. Somehow, someway, he had been able to release a groan of disgust. Unfortunately, Carmine did not hear it as a sound of disgust, but instead a groan of approval, taking that as a subtle hint to continue. This caused the blonde to release a sound that even he could not place.

The demon chuckled, taking in the sounds his precious little blond made while he caressed him with the slightest of touches. It was simply delicious! He then commanded the younger on to his knees and, of course, he complied as he instantly dropped down on to his knees like he had done before. He smirked as his beautiful little blonde’s precious green eyes stayed locked on to his the entire time. The look on the blonde’s face was so adorable. He looked like such an obedient little slave.

A smile crossed Carmine’s lips once more as a naughty thought crossed his mind. He commanded Jackie-boy on to drop his hands down as well. The blond did as he was told, now on his hands and knees.

“Bark for me, Blondie.” Carmine commanded.

Without so much as a second thought, unfortunately, Jack began to bark like a dog. There was even a little whimpering added into the mix, so eager to please Carmine. Carmine laughed hysterically at the sight. It was honestly an adorable look on the boy. The blond continued to bark until Carmine had finally commanded that he cease the action. Jack just stared up at the demon with a blank stare, awaiting further command.

“Hm. What to do, what to do? The possibilities are endless now that we have so much time on our hands. Now that you belong to me, isn’t that right, Jack-Rabbit?” Carmine hissed, a claw caressed the blonde’s jaw.

“Yes, Master.” Jack replied in a monotonous voice.

Inside of the blonde’s mind, his subconscious fought against the demon’s control while also fighting off his urge to give in. His brain fought desperately, trying to break free and will his body back under his control. Unfortunately, Carmine’s hold was stronger than last time. There was nothing there to stop him. No one was there to stand in his way anymore. The demon would claim Jack, he knew that.

And Jack was powerless to stop him.

* * *

 

“Sami! You need to calm down before you hurt yourself!” Bloom hollered as she and her husband tried to prevent their daughter from leaving the room.

“Or someone else, again!” Kim hollered.

Ever since Carmine had taken Jack, Sami had become hysterical. As soon as she regained consciousness she had ripped herself free from the medical machines attached to her form. After pulling herself free, she had made a break for the door. The metahuman almost made it but had been cut-off by Peter. He had been able to get a grip on her and tried to calm her down, but it was pointless. She just continued to thrash in his hold.

Her tantrum was almost similar to Jack’s own just hours earlier, but worse. Jack didn’t possess Super-Human Strength or Regenerative Powers. When the same doctor that sedated Jack earlier tried to sedate Sami, he became a human projectile as the brunette tossed him across the room. Several orderlies tried to stop her as well, but soon became human weapons and shields as Sami fought her way through them. Somehow, she had even obtained the sedative needle from the doctor and managed to stab one orderly in the neck with it. That guy laid a couple feet away from the window, knocked out cold. So far, Peter had been the only one capable of restraining her.

“Dad! Please! We have to go! We have to save him!” Sami protested.

“We will save him, Sami! We can’t do that unless you calm down! You’re in no condition to go out and fight!” Peter hollered.

“NO! We have to go! There’s still time!” Sami hollered back.

“Samantha, honey, please!” Bloom begged, stroking Sami’s once flailing arm.

It was hopeless, Sami just would not listen. With enough force, the brunette managed to free herself from her father’s grasp. She immediately headed toward the door once more. With a frustrated sigh, Peter called for his daughter before running after her. Bloom let out her own frustrated sigh as she turned toward her son and their friends.

Kim and Ron did nothing throughout the entirety of Sami’s freak-out. They knew better than to intervene when Sami became crazed like that. That and they were still shocked over the fact that Jack had indeed been telling the truth this entire time and was tormented by a creature so…evil. The poor blond had to live with his torment alone while they just sat there and accused him of being insane.

Kim felt the worst about all of this. She had been so quick to jump to the conclusion that Jack was just raving mad without even considering whether or not what he was saying was true. She felt so stupid. How could she not have believed him? They had fought against impossibilities on a daily basis and she did not even consider the possibility of a demon possessing and attacking her friend. Ron, on the other hand, withheld his “I told you so”. He was a very open-minded individual and an avid believer in the supernatural. He was just shocked that Jack was could have been this badly tormented. Once his brown eyes laid on the horrific being tormenting his friend, Ron could see why Jack was acting the way he was acting. Ron was pretty sure he wasn’t going to sleep tonight.

Overall, everyone in the room was pretty badly shaken up by the events and was even more devastated that the events had happened. How could they not be? They had just lost their friend to a demon they had zero information on. The only one who did know anything about this “Carmine” was raving mad and hell-bent on saving her best friend, whether they helped her or not.

Peter had returned out of breath and empty-handed. Scratches were evident on his face and arms, a bite mark on his left forearm. He looked exhausted and struggling to catch his breath. He told Bloom to give him his suit out of her purse, informing her that Sami had gotten away and was now on the loose. Without another word, Bloom pulled the Spider-Man top and mask as Peter took off his jeans and shirt, revealing the black, red, and blue spandex underneath his clothes. Once the mask was over his face, he jumped out the hospital window and slinging a web as he swung after Sami.

* * *

 

The wind whipped at her face and hair as Sami raced down the street and away from the hospital. She silently thanked the paparazzi for temporarily distracting her father while she made a break for it. Now she was currently in route to her house to grab her gear and go save Jack. Decisions on whether or not to involve the rest of the team raced through her mind, as well as multiple scenarios of what Carmine could be doing to Jack causing her to collapse on to the cold concrete sidewalk, holding her head. She sobbed, trying to push those awful thoughts out of her head.

She had to breathe. She had to catch her breath. Just…do…something! Her mind wasn’t exactly stable at the moment and she would be vulnerable to Carmine’s attacks if she didn’t pull herself together soon. The last thing she needed was for Carmine to take her out before she even got the chance to save Jack. Well, in order to save the blond, she had to find him first. She couldn’t sense him anywhere, meaning that Jack was nowhere close to Middleton. Knowing the demon, they probably were not even in this dimension anymore. At this rate, they could be anywhere by now and it was seriously getting to her head again. So many thoughts and scenarios ran through her head again, all darker than the last round of thoughts.

The brunette held her head again, releasing a frustrated scream. Her supernatural powers acted out once more, manipulating the trees and bushes around her to rustle in a wind-tunnel like effect. The air around her became cold.

A hand on her back caused her to lurch away in shock, back-pedaling away from the newcomer. Blue eyes looked up at the masked face of Spider-Man. His hand was still outstretched toward her, offering to help her up off of the cold ground. By this point, the atmosphere around her became calm once more, the air much warmer than it was several moments ago. Her cries died down to sniffles as she took in quiet breaths.

“Sami…” her father said as Sami accepted his hand.

He pulled her off of the ground, pulling her into a tight hug. She buried her face into his chest and cried softly. Webbed fingers pet brown locks in an attempt to soothe and comfort the younger brunette. He tried to tell her it was okay, that everything would be alright, but Sami would not listen.

She didn’t believe a word. Everything was not okay. Everything would not be okay. A demon had Jack. He was going to die if they just stood around twiddling their thumbs and looked at maps all damned day. She needed to find him and she needed to do it now!

She heard her father radio SHIELD, telling them that he had found her and to call off the search on her, but to continue their search on Jack. She wanted to pull away and run once more, but she felt dizzy all of a sudden and exhaustion prevented her from moving around too much. There were arms under her knees and lower back as Spider-Man hoisted her up into his arms and carried her back toward the hospital. She weakly fought against his hold, telling him to put her down, but it was in vain. Her vision blurred and then became dark. She felt herself falling back into unconsciousness.

* * *

 

Peter let out a sigh as he carried his daughter back to the hospital. He was really starting to hate this job, more so than he did before. It didn’t bother him when it was just him, his friends, and Bloom. It was different then, he didn’t have a family like he did now. He didn’t have kids back then. He didn’t have to worry about whether or not they would make it home alive. Didn’t have to worry about whether or not he would see them again.

As he re-entered the hospital, he watched the younger brunette sleep peacefully in his arms. The nurses took her from him, laying her down on a stretcher before rolling her away. He could feel himself become more and more upset as he watched them take her away. This was insane. His best friend’s son was abducted by a demon, his daughter was on the brink of insanity and he was not too sure he could handle this anymore.

It was one thing when it was just the Avengers, but now the kids were involved, their families now in the line of fire. They had lost friends and family in the past. Peter lost three of his own children, his aunt, and a couple of his friends in this whole “Good vs. Evil” fight. How many more people did they have to lose in order for everyone to realize that enough was enough?

His feet dragged against the floor and up the steps as he went up to his daughter’s hospital room. His hand dragged along his head as he pulled off his mask. There was no point in hiding his face, his identity had been revealed a long time ago. Everyone knew that Peter Parker was Spider-Man. Everyone knew that he was a hero, no longer a menace to the public. Only menaces hid their faces.

The funny thing; menaces didn’t have to worry about their family’s safety. Because no one knew who the menace was, therefore his family was safe. His Uncle Ben used to tell him; with great power, comes great responsibility.

It’s a shame that no one told him earlier that that great responsibility and power would put his family and friends in danger.

* * *

 

By the time Tony Stark arrived, the hospital was in a flurry of chaos. The paparazzi had gathered in the main lobby, making it near impossible to maneuver through. The nurses and doctors, as well as orderlies and security officers were fending them off. Tony had to push his way through the crowd just to get to the front desk. Thousands of little bulbs flashing in his face and the thousands of little questions agitated the billionaire. Nevertheless, he was able to obtain the room number he was looking for. A nearby security officer had been kind enough to escort him up.

It was quiet on this floor, no paparazzi there to interrogate him for an interview. No nurses, doctors, security officers, whatever else. There was a faint sound coming from inside of the room, but it was hard to decipher what it was until he opened the door.

Inside, he saw Bloom sitting next to Sami, who lay unconscious in the hospital bed. The brunette looked a lot better without all the medical machines. Harry Osborn sat in a chair in the corner of the room, looking a little…nuts. He was muttering incoherent things under his breath. Tony looked at the opposite side of the room. Peter leaned against the wall in his costume minus the mask, which dangled in his hand. The younger male’s eyes stayed locked on his wife and daughter in a protective manner. Ben was nowhere to be found. Tony cleared his throat, making his presence known.

Peter turned to look at him with those diligent blue eyes, giving a sad side smile. Tony shook his hand and patted him on the shoulder in a friendly gesture, returning the smile. He asked where Benny-boy was. Peter explained that Kim and Ron took him down to the hospital Rec Room to keep him busy for a while.

With a nod, Tony motioned his head toward Sami, “How’s my niece?” he asked, approaching the girl’s bedside.

Bloom got up and hugged him, offering a smile, “She’s better than she was when she first got here. She’s okay right now, just sleeping. I’m not sure how she is mentally.” Bloom replied, pulling the covers up over Sami’s chest.

“Why wouldn’t she be okay mentally?” Tony asked in confusion.

Peter and Bloom exchanged looks before looking over to Harry, who didn’t acknowledge them. Tony looked between them all, wondering just what the hell was going on. Harry finally calmed himself down enough to explain to Tony that his son was gone. That someone, a demon, had come and taken his son away from him. Peter, who had seen Tony’s confused look, explained further. Tony raised a brow. He was a man of science, not a Supernaturalist. This was more of a job for Dr. Strange. Or Sami, but she was not exactly in the best of shape at the moment. Maybe she could figure this all out with Doc when she wakes up. Before he could suggest Sami going after this demon, Peter explained that he had just brought Sami back to the hospital after she had a mental meltdown and ran off.

‘Well, never mind then.’ Tony thought, moving a piece of Sami’s hair out of her face peaceful looking face.

Though he did not want his niece to put herself in danger due to reckless behavior brought on by the loss of her friend, she would know what to do about this demon and would be one of few capable of rescuing Dublin. Tony would ask good ol’ Dr. Strange to help them out, but then remembered that the good doctor was otherwise preoccupied helping Thor with a “Magical Emergency” in Asgard. Supposedly, Loki was the root of the problem. Of course when there was an emergency involving magic or the supernatural that damned Loki would distract the more magical members of SHIELD.

Another realization hit Tony; “Bloom, don’t you know how to handle demons? You know, being a fairy and all?” the billionaire asked.

Bloom released a sigh, “Sadly, no. It would be different if he was a wizard or warlock, but demons are supernatural. The supernatural is more powerful than magic. It’s practically a whole different level. Magic has limits, but the supernatural knows no bounds.” She explained.

“Bloom,” Peter began, “Doesn’t the supernatural exist because of magic?”

She shook her head, “No, quite the opposite actually. Yes, you can use magic to summon, banish, and control supernatural beings, but the supernatural is the reason magic exists.” Bloom explained.

“So…can’t you banish the demon?” Tony asked.

 “If I knew his real name, which might be some indication of what kind of demon he is. The thing is, I don’t have access to those types of spells nor do I have that kind of experience. I don’t know who would either. Most of the elder fairies capable of doing those spells died some time ago.” Bloom explained.

“His name…is Carmine, Corrupter…of the…Innocent.” Sami rasped out.

The other occupants looked toward the brunette. Sami sat up, wincing at her aching limbs. She repeated what she had just said and explained that the name told them what kind of demon it was and the eyes classified how powerful it was. Before Bloom asked how she had known that, Sami explained that Carmine had white eyes. That meant that he was a “Level Seven Corruption Demon.”

“English, Parker.” Tony said.

“It means that on a scale of one to ten, Carmine is a Level Seven threat. He corrupts the innocent and devours their souls. Though, if that was his intended purpose, he would have devoured Jack’s soul already.” Sami explained.

“And…why hasn’t he?” Tony asked.

“Because there’s something else going on.” Sami said. 


	8. Plot Twist

Jack lay prone on the floor, staring off into space as his mind fought for control over his body. Carmine had left him there for some unknown reason, but the blonde’s body was still under the demon’s control. He felt like he was paralyzed; only breathing in shallow breaths. His whole body was in pain. Bruises, cuts, and bite marks decorated his flesh. There was a nasty bruise from earlier; when he had managed to break free of the other’s control and attacked Carmine.

It ended with Jack being struck quite viciously across the face and then a harsh beating. Carmine forced him to apologize once the demon regained control over the blond.

Now here he was, lying on the cold concrete floor waiting for Carmine. Just like a pathetic animal awaiting its master’s return. He was left unable to move until Carmine commanded him to. He shuddered from his spot on the floor; his breath appeared in front of him as he exhaled. Jesus, it was freezing in here.

The sound of a portal opening caused the blond to look over toward the sound. Carmine had returned with a tray in hand and a smile on his face. He commanded the blond to stand, which Jack had done without protest. His eyes traveled to the tray in Carmine’s hand, but it had been covered with tin foil. The demon asked for a greeting, to which Jack just stood, unsure of what to do.

“How do we greet our masters, Jack-Rabbit?” Carmine asked.

The blond just stood there in confusion. How was he supposed to know? The demon did not teach him how to greet “His Master”. Without warning, Carmine swooped in and kissed the blond on the cheek before placing the tray in the blonde’s hands. He was momentarily stunned, or horrified, but was able to regain his composure. Green eyes looked down at the tray curiously; a hand removed the tin foil cover. His nostrils were immediately assaulted with the smell of steak and potatoes. His stomach grumbled in response, suddenly hungry. It smelled so delicious, it made his mouth water.

Jack gave the food a suspicious glance. Where and how did Carmine acquire this meal? It looked too good to be true. He didn’t exactly trust the demon and quietly wondered what he had done to the food. He thought of everything from drugging to poison. Hell, this food could even be some sick illusion made up by Carmine as some sick joke. As a form of protest, Jack set the tray back on the ground.

The demon gave him a hurt look, “What’s the matter, Jackie? Don’t like steak?” Carmine asked with a chuckle.

Jack shook his head, “I don’t trust you.” He replied.

Laughter tore from the demon’s throat, “You think I tampered with the food? Oh! That is precious. Honestly, I don’t need to tamper with your food to mess with you. I have my powers to do that for me.” Carmine laughed.

Jack didn’t find it as funny as the demon did. He decided he would nibble on bits and pieces here and there just in case the demon was lying. If he ate small pieces, there would be a good possibility that whatever was in the food (if anything) it would not affect him as badly or as quickly. Call him paranoid, but years of being a Teen Hero have taught him not to accept “Gifts” from the enemy. One could never be too sure or too careful.

He felt eyes upon him as he felt Carmine stare on him once more. The blond suddenly felt self-conscious, deciding that he had had enough food as he sat the rest of the steak back on to the tray. He leaned up against the wall behind him, the cold concrete chilling his bare back. His eyes never left Carmine’s own, becoming unnerved once more by the demon’s presence.

“What do you want from me?” Jack ground out.

“Oh, Jacko! You already know what I…”

“Cut the shit, Demon. If taking me was all you wanted then you would have done it already. What do you really want?” Jack growled.

Carmine stood stone-faced in front of the other. Jack raised a brow, waiting for the older male to answer his question. The demon’s serious face dissipated as he began to laugh manically once again, causing the blond teenager to roll his eyes in annoyance for what felt like the thousandth time that day. Before he could holler at the other, he heard someone clap their hands together. Jack gave the window next to the door a confused look.

The one-way glass dissipated to reveal the face of the supposedly dead Norman Osborn…Jack’s late grandfather. The blond watched with a look of horror as Norman made his way into the room. The billionaire smiled down at his grandson, applauding the boy’s intelligence.

“I have to say, John, you’re a lot smarter than you look. It’s a shame you’re as big a disappointment as your father. Luckily, you’re young, we can still change that. Maybe help you see things in a different light.” Norman said, now standing over the boy.

Jack was speechless, his breath caught in his throat. He continued to stare in absolute fear, at a loss for words. How could he not? His grandfather was supposed to be dead and here the man was, alive and well…well, as well as any psychopath with the ability to transform from man to beast-er, Goblin. How was the man alive? It just wasn’t possible.

‘They said the same about meta-humans, and your best friend turned out to be one.’ He mentally reminded himself.

Norman released a dark chuckle, “What’s the matter, John? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“H-How…are you…?” Jack asked, struggling to get the words out.

“Don’t I get a “Hello”? Really, John, we have to work on your manners. Though, I really shouldn’t be surprised at how bad they are. Hanging out with those Parker Ruffians will do that.” Norman said.

“How are you even alive? I thought the serum killed you!” Jack hollered.

“Well, my boy, let’s just say that even in death, I still have very powerful friends.” Norman said with a dark grin.

“HOW?!” Jack hollered.

“John! Indoor…”

“Jack.” The blond corrected.

“…Jack…how utterly deplorable. I still prefer your given name. John sounds more distinguished, unlike “Jack”. Jack sounds like a name you would give to that dreaded beast at home.” Norman sneered.

“Hey! Shep is not a “dreaded beast”! He’s a Burmese Mountain Dog!” Jack exclaimed.

Norman waved at the younger in annoyance, “Enough. You’re starting to sound like that damned Spider-Man.”

Without warning, Carmine hoisted Jack to his feet and dragged the blond into the other room behind Norman. Jack had to shield his eyes from the blinding lights in this new room. When the bright haze cleared and his eyes adjusted, Jack took in the new room and had to suppress the urge to gasp.

The next room wasn’t an office or some demonic lair. It was a torture chamber, or at least that is what it looked like. There was an examination table in the corner a smaller table next to that with various tools and utensils. There were several other torture looking devices located all around the room. They planned on torturing him into submission. In order to change him they had to break him.

Once he realized that Carmine was going to lay him down on the examination table the blond began to thrash wildly. No, they were NOT going to torture him! He would not let them! With his foot, he pushed himself off of the wall, sending himself and Carmine tumbling toward the floor. Carmine’s grip on the blond loosened, giving Jack just enough room to wriggle free and take off down the nearest corridor. Norman called out the younger’s name but Jack simply ignored it. He didn’t know where this corridor led to, but anywhere was better than here.

A roar from the previous room forced Jack’s legs to move faster than they have ever gone before. The blond glanced back to see the scaly and angry face of the Goblin glaring back at him. The creature let out another roar before pursuing the teenager. Jack cursed as he ducked into one of the rooms. He shut and barricaded the door before scanning his surroundings. He seemed to be in a science lab and knowing his grandfather, it probably was a science lab. Judging by the tanks and organisms floating in them, it was a Genetics Lab.

“John! You can’t hide from me!” Goblin hollered, causing Jack to duck into the nearby Janitor’s closet.

Just as he closed the closet door, Goblin stormed in. The creature gave a growl as he scanned the room, flipping over lab benches, tables, and opening and closing cabinets looking for the blond boy.

Jack watched with baited breath, watching as the monster rampaged through the laboratory. The blond immediately started looking for a way out and past his grandfather without being seen or heard. He scanned the closet first, looking for vents either on the wall or in the ceiling. There was one in the ceiling, but it was way too tiny for him to fit. He could hide on one of the higher shelves, but unfortunately Norman was not stupid.

Another strategy was to make his way through the wreckage of the lab and hide amongst the bigger debris before exiting through the door he came from. He could duck and hide behind the various tables and lab benches as he snuck through the lab.

The sound of smashing became distant as Norman headed down the other end of the lab, meaning if Jack was to make a move, he’d better do it now. Quietly, Jack opened the Janitor’s Closet door, watching as Norman heading farther away from him. He grabbed a nearby metal pipe and quickly but quietly made his way to a nearby turned over table. Ducking behind it, he listened to where Goblin was before deciding to head over to another nearby table. He did this over and over, getting closer and closer toward the door. He was almost there!

His victory was short-lived however when Carmine suddenly appeared next to a nearby table, asking the Goblin if he had found Jack yet. Jack’s breath was caught in his throat as he watched the two conversed angrily. Carmine joined in the search, checking the Janitor’s Closet. He mentioned something about the teen’s scent still lingering in the small space, meaning he was still close-by and had just recently moved. Jack looked between the two villains and the door before running through it. He shut it behind him in order to slow them down. He was unsure of how long he could keep this up.

* * *

“This is **_so_** not a good idea.” Kim said.

She, Sami and Ron had snuck into the Parker House at Sami’s request and with her spare house key. The brunette waited for her parents, uncle, and Harry to go down to the hospital cafeteria for lunch before sneaking out of the hospital with Kim and Ron. Of course, they had to use the loading docks in order to get out due to the massive amount of Paparazzi and News Vans.

Ron lent Sami his hoodie so no one could recognize her. Sadly, she was still clothed in the Hospital Gown. Luckily, no one noticed them as they made their escape.

Wade had been kind enough to hook them up with a ride to Sami’s house, some guy whom Kim had rescued his daughter’s box of kittens from a burning building or something. Sami really did not know, she was too worried about Jack’s wellbeing to actually pay attention to the man explaining why he owed them a ride.

“Didn’t you just say that ten minutes ago?” Sami deadpanned.

Presently, Sami had been able to turn off the home security measures as well as unlock the door. She turned off her watch and asked Kim and Ron to shut down their communicators temporarily so SHIELD could not trace them. They made their way upstairs to Sami’s room so she could retrieve her suit from her lab. She also had to grab several other things if she were to take down Carmine.

“Yeah, I did. It’s _**still**_ a bad idea.” Kim said.

“How? We’re going to save Jack and take down Carmine as well as whomever else is involved.” Sami asked.

“How? _**HOW**_?! We just snuck out of a hospital full of _**SHIELD Agents**_! Snuck out past security and hospital personnel and then broke into your own house. We did all of this, without your parents knowledge. Not to mention you’re still injured and in no condition to be doing any sort of crime fighting, let alone face some all-powerful demon, but you still insist on doing this. That’s _**how**_.” Kim explained.

“Technically we did not break in. Sami had the codes as well as a key.” Ron said, earning him a glare from the red-head causing him to promptly keep his mouth shut.

“Look, I know you guys think I’m some fragile little daisy because I got into _**one**_ accident. The only reason I did not heal at first was because Carmine used some sort of Supernatural Interference to block my regenerative abilities. As you can see, I’m all better now. So, please, stop worrying about me. I can do this.” Sami explained.

Kim let out a sigh, “Sami, I’ve known you for years. Ten years to be exact. I know you think you can handle things on your own. That’s not always the case and you know it. There have been times in the past where you got in too deep and needed our help.”

Sami did not reply while she keyed in the code to access her lab. Kim continued nonetheless, “Look, what I am trying to say is: If Carmine is capable of blocking your powers without physically being near you, just imagine what he would do to you in a fight. You said he had possessed Jack and nearly beat you to a pulp one-on-one. What would happen if you were to go up against him on your own again?”

The sound of the suit case opened with a hiss. Sami pulled out the suit and carefully pulled it on after removing her hospital gown. Whilst getting dressed, Sami explained that she would not, no, that she could not allow anyone else to get hurt.

She went on to explain that demons were unlike any villain they’ve ever faced. Demons did not care about world domination or “Arch-Enemies” and shit like that. They have only one thing on their minds: To bring about Hell on to Earth. Demons would stop at nothing to take over the world and the only things standing in their way besides the Devil himself were beings called Demonic Hunters. Beings that were chosen by the Devil to bring his underlings back to his domain by any means necessary. Unfortunately for the young brunette, **_she_** was one of them.

Kim raised a brow, “How did that happen?” she asked.

Sami sighed as she buckled her utility belt, “Remember when Ben was about four or so and he had gotten so sick the doctors thought he was going to die?” Sami asked.

Kim nodded, “Well, an old guy in a black suit and weird skull cane said he knew how to fix Ben. I was only seven so I was curious as to how he could do that. He said I had to sign a contract and work for him until my job was done. Long story short: I sold my sold to the Devil so my brother could live. Kind of like how Johnny and J.C. Blaze did in order to save the ones they loved.” Sami finished.

“Yeah, but how and why did he pick you to be his Demon Hunter?” Ron asked.

“I honestly don’t know. I think it had something to do with my previous Ghost Hunting Experience or just my crime-fighting experience. Or maybe because I help Blade with the Monster issue in New York. Again, not exactly sure about the hows or the whys.” Sami explained.

“You think Carmine knows about your side job?” Kim asked.

“Oh, I know he does.”


	9. Chase

Jack took another deep breath as he pushed through the decaying plants towards a broken window. He currently found himself in some type of Green House. His last hiding spot in the ventilation system did not work so well, mainly because Carmine had been able to pick up his scent via air conditioning. Luckily, he had been able to wiggle his way out of the vents and into the Green House. The dead or dying plants hid his scent from the demon.

He had not heard anyone for a while, meaning they either stopped searching for him or genuinely did not know where he was. The blond was leaning more toward the latter idea, mainly because Norman Osborn was not one to give up so easily. The madman was definitely not one to quit, and to cease looking for his grandson meant quitting which meant admitting defeat. Norman Osborn was no quitter. He **_would_** continue to search for the blonde and he **_would_** find him and continue on with his plan.

Over Jack’s dead body.

Another Goblin roar reverberated from somewhere outside of the Green House. The sound of smashing glass could be heard not too far from where he was sitting. Jack looked to his left, watching as the silhouette of his grandfather lingered there for a moment before it passed over the frosted windows. A relieved breath escaped him. Good, Norman had not actually seen him. Before he could rejoice, he heard the glass sliding door open. His breath was now caught in his throat once more. The sounds of plants rustling or moving could be heard from all around him, indicating that he was not alone.

Looking to his left, he could just barely see the Goblin standing outside of the Green House. If Norman was still outside, that meant Carmine was the one in here with him. He heard the hissing sound that had haunted him numerous times before in the past. The sound of tapping claws echoed throughout the glass room. With another deep breath, Jack looked over his shoulder slowly in order to see where Carmine was. He came face-to-face with the gaunt white face of the demon.

“Hello, Jackie!” Carmine said.

The blonde nearly had a heart attack. When the hell had he gotten so damn close? Before he got the chance to escape, or move for that matter, the left side of the green house caved in as The Goblin tore apart the glass wall. Glass rained down from the sky, glass shards falling down upon them. Jack shielded his head with his arms, feeling the shards cut at his skin. Everything seemingly moved in slow-motion as adrenaline kicked in once more. Just as Carmine reached for him, Jack’s legs seemed to move on their own as he sprinted away once again. He nearly missed getting his head taken off by one of the Goblin’s large arms.

“You cannot run forever, boy!” Goblin hollered chasing after the blonde again.

The monster was right, he could not run forever. So maybe it was time for him to stand and fight. Just as Norman was within feet of him Jack side-stepped out of the way, causing the other to run right past him. He had ripped a nearby fire-extinguisher off of the wall and bashed it into the creature’s back as hard as he could. A grunt escaped the giant monster’s mouth as it fell to the floor. Jack ran up the length of the Goblin’s back before bashing the other over the head with the bright red tank. A victorious smile crossed Jack’s lips as he watched Norman cradle his head in pain.

His victory was short lived when Carmine caught up to them. With a steady hand, he went to clothes-line the demon with the tank…only for the demon to dissipate and reappear behind him. The demon grabbed the tank, pulling the hose free. He used said hose to choke Jack, holding the teen against his own body. Jack clutched at the hose as he tried to break free of the other’s hold. The Goblin had managed to scrap himself off of the floor, cracking his neck and back. The creature’s body suddenly began to shrink into the human form of Norman Osborn, who stood there in the fitted metal armor. With a growl, his arm shot out and gripped Jack’s throat causing Carmine to release him. Jack now gripped his grandfather’s arm as he was hoisted a foot or two in the air.

“You are just like your father; a stubborn pain in my ass. I give you the world and you spit in my face. You’re lucky I don’t kill you and ship your corpse back to the hospital in a body bag. Now, we are going back to the lab and continuing with the plan. Try this again and I will not grant you mercy.” Norman growled.

A grunt escaped Jack’s throat as he was dropped on to the ground. The last thing he saw was Norman’s fist before being knocked out cold.

* * *

“You know, if we weren’t friends I probably would have told you to “go fuck yourself” after you asked me to break into an abandoned Oscorp Building at the edge of town. So glad I decided to go with this whacked out little plan of yours instead of getting your Dad involved. You know, because that would have been too intelligent of an idea.” Kim explained.

Sami flashed the other a glare before going back to what she was doing. The red-head and Ron watched as Sami used Jack’s keycard to open the entrance to the front door of the Oscorp Building, ignoring the red-head’s remark of “Oh look, you even managed to swipe Jack’s keycard”. Sami did not know what was up the other’s ass…oh wait, yes she did; Sami refused to get SHIELD involved like Kim had suggested. Sami did not even want Kim and Ron here for their own sake, but they insisted that they accompany her. Kim almost called SHIELD, but Sami had used a jammer to jam the signal.

“Seriously, what would have been so bad about getting at least your mother or Iron Man involved?” Kim asked.

“The same things as getting you too involved: Someone close to me could possibly be murdered by Carmine. You know, like you two, or Jack, or my mother, or Uncle Tony, or my father…” Sami listed off, practically ripping the front door open. She held it open for the others to enter after her.

“No, let’s just let you get killed and all hope for rescuing Jack would be lost.” Kim snapped.

“He wouldn’t be able to kill me. Even if he had managed to stab me or cause any type of harm, I would just go demonic and beat him within inches of his afterlife.” Sami explained, pulling up a holo-map to check Jack’s position.

“And how do we know your demonic self wouldn’t accidentally kill Jack in the process? Face it, Sami, you need me and Ron here and we need more back-up. There are so many things that could go wrong.” Kim explained.

“…It wouldn’t. I already told you that.” Sami growled back.

“And why do you think that?”

“…because killing an innocent would result in a punishment worse than death in Hell. Every Demonic knows that. I’ve snapped out of it hundreds of times before even laying a finger on an innocent.”

Kim did not offer a reply, still not exactly sure how this whole demonic business worked. She wanted to believe Sami, but a part of her still held some doubt toward the other. What if something did go wrong? What if Carmine managed to kill all three of them and Jack? And why were they in an Oscorp Building? Why did Carmine bring Jack **_here_**? Even Sami seemed surprised when she had checked the GPS on Jack’s watch, so even she did not know why Carmine had dragged the blonde here.

As if she had just read her mind, Sami said, “I don’t think Carmine is working alone on this one guys.”

  



	10. Victory on the Horizon

If the blonde could recall all the times he was knocked unconscious during a mission or hostage situation and compare which one was the worst, this time would definitely take the cake. His nose was busted as well as his bottom lip and a headache that wracked his brain to the point of blurry vision and an annoying ringing sound in his ear. His neck was held still, strapped to the lab table like his ankles and wrists. Blue-green eyes stayed focused on the ceiling, not at all wanting to look at the demonic being staring down at him menacingly.

Norman stood next to the examination table, examining the various tools in a tray that he was going to use on Jack. One of which was a syringe that contained a sample of the same performance enhancement serum used on the same spider that infected Peter Parker. Why would he do this? So he could use his grandson’s blood and DNA in order to create an army of super soldiers. Assuming Jack’s heart could survive the serum in its rawest form. Peter Parker had been exposed to it indirectly via Spider-Bite. The enzyme in the spider’s venom acted as a sort of catalyst, thus preventing heart issues.

Jack would not have such luck in this case. He **_would_** be exposed to the serum **_directly_**. There was no spider, enzyme, or catalyst to protect the boy should something go wrong. If he had managed to survive the experiment, he would be able to extract a sample of the boy’s blood and combine it with a sample of the Goblin Venom in order to manufacture a serum that would create a very dangerous army of super soldiers. If Jack died…well, it would be unfortunate, but Norman would not be too heart-broken. He was never really close to the boy, so he did not really care for him. Still, the boy would be more useful alive than dead.

“You know, I pictured you more as the nefarious billionaire with way too much money and time on his hands. Not the crazed scientist hell-bent on ruling the world.” Jack said, turning his eyes toward Norman.

“There’s that annoying “Parker Family Tongue” again. Carmine, do me a favor and gag the bastard child please.” Norman deadpanned.

Carmine bowed before waving his fingers toward the boy. A black wisp swirled from those dagger-like claws before attaching itself to Jack’s lips, covering his mouth and successfully silencing the blonde. Jack let out a muffled sound as he experimentally pulled at his bindings. Norman chuckled, readying the syringe before wiping Jack’s arm with rubbing alcohol as he prepared the boy for injection. He had the syringe in hand and leveled with a vein, Jack’s eyes watching the syringe in confusion and terror.

Until the sound of glass shattering stopped him in his tracks. The genius and the demon exchanged glances before Norman demanded that Carmine go investigate. Carmine snarled, telling the mutant that he was not just going to go investigate on his own before asking why the other did not just go by himself to check out the sound. Norman informed Carmine that it was because he was kind of in the middle of something. While the two bickered, Jack silently wondered what that noise was. Could it possibly be his rescue?

* * *

“Ron! Could you make any more noise?” Kim asked in annoyance.

Ron held up his hands in his defense. It was not like he meant to walk into the glass door and cause it to shatter. He could not even see it at first until it was too late. The brunette, who was not too far in front of them, informed the dynamic duo that “I knew I should have come alone” before continuing onward. Kim punched Ron in the arm before telling him to stop screwing around causing the blond to roll his eyes.

The trio, who were usually experts at this stealth thing, were just a classic group of Stooges. Between Kim and Ron’s confusion about the whole “supernatural” thing and Norman’s involvement, mixed with Sami still weaker than usual, this mission was turning into an absolute shit-show. They would be lucky if they locate Jack and manage to leave this place in one piece, **_after_** defeating Carmine **_and_** Norman Osborne, the Green Freaking Goblin. The man could literally mutate into a gigantic goblin looking creature. They would be lucky to take him down and **_still_** must deal with a supernatural demon from another realm. Kim was already dreading this encounter.

“I sure hope we’ll be able to take down Norman **_and_** this Carmine guy. Otherwise, we might have to call in someone to come rescue **_us_**.” Kim reminded, causing Sami to groan for the umpteenth time that day.

“ ** _We will_** be able to beat them. That’s what the backpack that Ron is carrying is.” Sami said, causing Ron to look behind him at the pack.

Kim raised a brow as she stopped Ron to look at what was in the bag. Upon opening it, she pulled out various trinkets, herbs, a feather, a bowl, white sand, candles, a book, and a red oil pastel crayon. Another look of confusion crossed Kim’s features, looking toward the brunette for an answer. A sigh escaped Sami as she explained that the oil pastel crayon was meant for a pentagram, a trapping one, the sand and candles for another pentagram for binding and banishing Carmine while the herbs and trinkets were to be used for a banishment spell. At the mention of a Spell, Kim flashed Sami a look of shock and worry.

“I thought you were not capable of magic?” Kim asked.

“…I’m not.” Sami admitted.

“Then…how do you plan of ridding us of Carmine?” Kim asked.

“I was hoping Ron would be able to recite the incantation due to his mystical monkey power you guys told me about, while Carmine is trapped and bound inside of the pentagrams.” Sami explained.

“What about Jack? Him and Carmine are pretty much attached. Will he be banished with him?” Ron asked.

Sami’s eyes cast downward, “I-I have a solution for that too. Carmine might have marked his claim on him somewhere, whether it be physically or mentally. I have a plan for that.” She explained.

Kim canted her head at the shorter, “Uh…huh, and just how confident are you with this plan?” she asked curiously.

“…Fifty-Four percent positive.”

“Care to elaborate this brilliant plan of yours?” Kim asked.

Another sigh left her throat before Sami turned to her companions. She reminded them that due to her demonic abilities, she could undo a mark, but replace it with her own. The only issue was that she never actually tested this ability for herself so she was not one-hundred percent sure if it would even work to begin with. She had found this out while working for the devil a while back, but the devil was known to lie every now and then. If worse came to worse, a spell could undo that as well, but it might be a bit damaging to Jack’s psyche at first and could hurt him. It was like ripping an invisible bond or exorcising the demon itself from a host.

“Jesus Christ, so we’re doing all this with a hunch? You’re not even sure? Shit, so much could go wrong if this doesn’t go right!” Kim exclaimed, pulling at her red-head strands in frustration and anxiousness.

“For fuck’s sake, Kim! I know that!” Sami hollered back, “I’m still new to all of this and I didn’t want anyone to get involved! Honestly, I’m scared. I’m scared for Jack. I’m scared for you two. Hell, I’m scared for everyone. I’ve thought about this so damn much and honestly, I don’t know what else to do! And now that Norman fucking Osborn is involved, just makes this worse.”

By now, tears fell from crystal blue eyes as the brunette sat in a crouch on the floor. It was like the flood gates had been opened and Sami just fell apart, no longer able to hold it in. Immediately, Kim and Ron felt bad for the brunette. The red-head crouched down next to the other and embraced her tightly. Kim reassured the younger that everything would be okay, that they could do his together. Green eyes looked to Ron, who crouched down beside them. He placed a hand on Sami’s shoulder for reassurance.

“We got this, and we’ll carry out the plan, but I’m letting you know right now; If things **_do_** go south too fast, me or Ron **_will_** call for back-up. We don’t have to do this alone.” Kim whispered, cradling Sami’s head against her chest.

Sami did not offer a reply, but the red-head knew the brunette had silently agreed with her. Without another word, Sami straightened herself out and Kim and Ron helped her to her feet. After brushing themselves off, they continued their descent into the bowels of the abandoned Oscorp building.

At least that was the original intent. Until they heard something moving not too far away. They exchanged looks of fear and confusion. A dark chuckle resounded off the corridor walls as a door behind them slammed shut without warning. A computer terminal flickered on before blowing out in an explosion of sparks and electricity, causing the teenagers to duck away and release startled sounds. An unexplainable wind blew through the corridor, blowing around papers and debris as the doors opened and slammed shut repeatedly. Carmine’s chuckle evolved into demented laughter.

“ _Aw, isn’t this sweet? The itty-bitty hero committee! Come to rescue your little friend?_ ” Carmine’s voice echoed above them.

“Nah, we decided to stop by for a tea-party. Is it still too late to party?” Kim asked, as they got into fighting ready stances.

“ _Oh? Trying to play it tough, are we? Kind of hard to do with two puny humans and a metahuman weakling. I would love to see you fight your way out this one humans. I humor you_.” Carmine snickered.

He decided to make his presence known at the end of the corridor. Their attention snapped to the attention of the looming shadow at the end of the hall. Before, he looked like a Marilyn Manson wannabe, but now he looked like a decrepit Slender Man mixed with Jack Skellington, with a mop of slimy black hair upon his head, and razor-sharp teeth and claws. His eyes were the same blank white stare that haunted Sami since the night he possessed Jack and attacked her. The brunette planned to rip those eyes out of the demon’s skull and feed them to him.

‘Sorry, Dad. Guess I won’t grow up to be the hero you wanted me to be.’ Sami thought to herself, whipping out her swords, twirling the one in her left hand threateningly.

Carmine scanned over all of them, as if trying to figure out what to do, what their weaknesses were. He sniffed the air and snickered. How cute; the baby demonic brought sage, candles, and whatever other witch’s tools used to “expel him” from this realm. She had them, but did she really know how to use them? Did she really need to? Unless…she wasn’t truly certain of the full extent of her powers. It brought a smile to the demon’s face.

He would certainly tell the boys in Hell how he easily killed the demonic.

“C’mon you Marilyn Manson reject. You want to play? Let’s play!” Ron hollered.

“ _Certainly._ ” Carmine purred, extended his claws to make them look longer.

With a screech, Carmine flew through the hallway, causing the teenagers to dive or flip out of the way. Sami motioned to Kim and Ron to get the pentagrams formed while she distracted the demon and protected them from him. Kim and Ron nodded as Ron placed the backpack on the ground, rifling through it for their supplies. Sami turned back to Carmine who disappeared through the nearest door. The brunette would have followed but that would be stupid and would leave the red-head and the blond defenseless.

“Not falling for that one, Heathen.” Sami called out causing Carmine to let out a chuckle.

“ _Aw. And here I thought all humans dumbly split up during danger._ ” He hissed emerging from the hiding spot.

“Stop playing games, demon.” Sami said, lashing out with a glowing blue sword.

To the demon’s surprise, it actually sliced through his arm causing it to drop to the floor. Carmine screeched in pain. Inky black goo seeped from the stump at his elbow and from the limb on the floor. He snarled at the brunette, making a comment about her being a little shit who upgraded. Sami just smirked, informing the other that she had brought these especially for him, enchanted by the best warlock in the seven realms.

“ _And here I thought your “Doctor Strange” was as useless as the rest of your pathetic kind.”_ Carmine snarled, his arm instantly growing back as the other disintegrated into ash.

While the two supernatural beings were engaged in combat, Kim read over the ancient looking spell book. The pages they needed had been marked with bright green bookmarks and showed them directions on how to prepare the pentagrams. Kim directed while Ron followed direction. The red one was closer to Carmine while the sand one was started with a circle around the red one and the duo fighting. They would complete it once Carmine was trapped inside of the red one. Kim laid out the candles at the five points, the trinkets at the three points, ducking in and around the two combatants to expand the circle. Ron pulled a lighter out of his pocket as Kim threw the herbs in the small bowl. He lit the herbs and blew on them to increase the amount of smoke. Kim waved the feather over the smoke to expand it throughout the vicinity. Ron looked down at the spell as he read out the Latin phrases.

‘Thank you, Middleton Education.’ Ron thought, reading the words aloud.

As soon as the herbs hit her nostrils, Sami grunted. She suddenly felt weaker and judging by the demon’s slowing movements, Carmine was being effected as well. He grunted and stumbled into the red circle. It glowed a deadly color, causing Carmine to look down in disbelief. Disbelief turned to anger as he lashed out at the teenagers, only for his hand to bang against a red barrier. Sami fell to the floor, feeling her strength dwindle. Kim haphazardly dropped the bowl down next to the red pentagram before lifting Sami out of the white circle, closer to Ron. She then used the rest of the sand to complete the second pentagram, lighting the candles and moving out of the way next to her friends.

‘ _Insolent humans! You cannot stop me!”_ Carmine screeched, slamming a fist on the red barrier once more.

The white circle glowed the same color as the sand, causing Carmine to screech in pain. He thrashed inside the red pentagram, but it was all in vain. Ron read the ritual out loud as Sami leaned on Kim for support. The circle glowed brighter and brighter with each word, nearly blinding them with its magical light. Carmine cursed their existence, threatening them with his return, but Sami knew better. Once that spell banished a being out of a realm, they were no longer able to return. With one final word, Carmine screamed as he dissipated out of existence.

* * *

Jack’s body lurched up as a scream tore its way out of his throat, scaring Norman away from the teenager. The blond thrashed around in his restraints as screams turned into pained sobs. He was on fire. Everything was on fire. His lungs, his throat, his stomach, muscles, everything! Though there was that feeling that Carmine was gone, but for some reason that lingering feeling hurt him more than it should have relieved him. Had Norman already injected him with that shit? Blue-green eyes glanced at the vials and needles on the table, only to see them all still filled with that mysterious serum. 

Norman cursed under his breath as he held the boy down. He tightened the restraints with one hand as he shoved his forearm against the blonde’s chest. Something was wrong here and no doubt that those damned heroes had already made their way inside and caused this mess. Once the restraints were tightened, Norman reached for the syringe. Pulling the cap off with his teeth, he readied it to stab into Jack’s arm. Only for a sharp stabbing pain to erupt from the back of his bicep. A scream escaped him, causing him to drop the needle. It shattered upon impact with the ground, spilling its contents on to the tiled floor. 

“No!” Norman hollered, releasing the squirming teenager. 

He looked down at the throwing knife protruding from his arm, recognizing it as one of the Spider-Brat’s blades. After he ripped it out of his arm, Norman stood snarling at the teenagers as they entered the lab. He wanted nothing more than to rip that brunette’s head off her shoulders and crush it underneath his boot. Then he would kill the other two and leave their corpses hanging from the ceiling like twisted chandeliers. As his anger grew, he felt his muscles and bones twist into his mutated goblin form. Horns grew from his skull and through his skin as his ears grew long and pointy. Skin turned a sickly green and eyes became a glowing yellow color. 

“I grow tired of brats with the last name of Parker constantly destroying my plans. I should have killed your father years ago when he was just a boy. Then I would not have to deal with you and your little league of junior Avengers.” Norman, now the Goblin growled out. 

Kim and Ron got into their stances, the red-head informing the brunette to go help Jack. Though, Sami was hesitant, telling them that they should beat Norman first, but Kim grabbed Sami’s arm, reminding her what she had told them about the ripping of the bonds. That Jack could die if she did not help him in time. Sami hesitated once more, but once she heard Jack’s screams reverberate off the walls, she agreed, seemingly knocked out of her trance. Before she could run to the blonde’s aid, Goblin lunged forward and grabbed the brunette by the throat. One minute she was standing right side-up, the next she was slammed own on to her back. Her skull bounced off the floor as a pained grunt escaped her lips. The wind was knocked out of her as she struggled to breathe, staring at the ceiling and the looming face of the mad man stood above her. 

“You will not be leaving here alive. You are a fool to think otherwise.” Goblin snarled, tightening his grip on her throat once more before throwing her away from himself. 

Her body collided with the solid concrete wall, feeling something crack underneath her skin. Possibly a rib or some other bone. Either way, she now laid face down on the cold floor, barely hanging on to consciousness. She heard Kim and Ron shout her name, as well as the sound of fists and kicks colliding with the hard-shelled skin of Goblin’s body. Suddenly, the world faded in and out, and it wasn’t long until Ron and Kim joined her on the floor. Kim landing beside her, holding on to consciousness as well. Ron landed opposite of Kim, knocked out cold. Chuckling could be heard above them as a hand grabbed the brunette by the nape of her neck, lifting her off the ground. She hung in Goblin’s grasp limply as he moved over to Jack’s screaming form. 

“Look at him. Look at how you failed him,” Norman growled, pushing her closer to Jack, “don’t worry. I won’t fail him like you or his pathetic father have. I will heal him. Make him better. Stronger.” 

Sami grunted in pain, feeling the monstrous hand tighten on her neck. It felt as though he was going to break her neck at any second. Blue eyes watched as tears escaped Jack’s eyes as he sobbed in pain. If she was going to die here, the least she could do was rid him of his pain. She reached out with her mind and forced her way in. She gasped as she was able to make her way into the otherwise hysteric mind of her best friend.

* * *

A blinding white light blinded her upon entry into Jack’s mind. She shielded her eyes, realizing that she was outside, in a very familiar place. Once her eyes adjusted to the sunlight, she took in her surroundings. Was this…her backyard? She could faintly hear an ambulance behind her, causing her to turn her attention to the sound. Her breath left her at the horrified sight before her. 

There was an absolute mess in front of her. A damned car accident lay in front of her, ambulances and cop cars around the scene. A firetruck not too far away, its firefighters trying to desperately free the victims within the car. Glass littered the ground along with blood here and there. Sami’s breath was caught in her throat, feeling the overwhelming sadness, death, and fear that hung in the atmosphere. She remembered this day. Just another one to the list of things that haunted her every night: The accident that claimed the lives of Jack’s mother and sister. Tears escaped her own eyes. A sound from the backseat caused her to run over to the mess, pushing past the bystanders and firefighters. 

“Jack?!” Sami called, ripping the backdoor off of its hinges, ignoring the carnage in the front. 

Sure enough, Jack sat in the back seat, but not the boy that had experience this awful mess the first time. It was the teenage boy she knew and loved. He sat there with a blank look on his face, eyes trained on the corpses that sat in the front seats. Tears fell from his eyes. She urged the blond to look away and focus on her, but he did not. He kept repeating “all alone. failure” over and over again. Sami cried, but sniffed back more tears as she dragged him from the wreckage. Once he was out of the car and in the clear he became hysteric, screaming that he had failed them and that he was at fault. That he was now all alone. Sami held on tight, hugging him tightly. He quieted down slightly at that. She cradled his face between her hands, shaking her head at him as she cried.

“No. No, you’re not alone. You have friends. You have a family. We all love you, Jack. I-I love you.” Sami said, vision blurry as she was blinded by tears. 

Jack stopped, seemingly coming out of his hysterics, “I-what?”

Sami gulped, “Come on. It’s time to go. Leave this in the past.”

She laid a hand on his heart as heat emanated from her fingers as they seemingly mended something deep within him.

* * *

 

Pain. The first thing that wracked his body was pain as Jack regained his senses. His ears were assaulted with the sound of maniac laughter as something crashed against something else. He opened his eyes, fluorescent lights blinding him momentarily before he turned to look at the source of the noise. The Goblin stood over a leather clad body as said body tried to crawl away from him. He turned and saw Kim running over to release Jack from his bonds. She was hollering something at him, but he could not figure out what she was saying. Once he was freed, Kim helped him on to his feet. He had to lean on her for support. 

“Kim? What’s going on?” he asked, throat feeling kind of sore. 

“We have to go. I called back-up, but they aren’t going to get here in time. I need to get you and Ron out of here. Sami said she’ll hold off the Goblin, but-shit!” Kim cursed, watching as Sami was thrown against yet another wall. 

“Sami…?” Jack whispered, looking at the brunette laying on the cold concrete. 

The brunette used what little strength she had to push herself on to her knees weakly. This earned her a laugh from Norman, who found it pathetic of her to keep fighting even when it was clear that she was beaten. He then told her that he was surprised she lasted this long. He stomped a foot down on her back, forcing the brunette back on to her stomach. He went on to say that at least her father would have put up a more admirable fight, but then asked what more should he have expected from the spawn of Spider-Man. He pressed down harder, causing her to release another grunt of pain. 

Kim tried to pull Jack further, but his feet did not want to move any further. What if Sami died? What if he lost her? What if he lost his family again? He shook his head, trying to shake the thoughts out of his head. No, not again. He would not lose another person he cared about. He grabbed the scalpel off the examination table and stumbled out of Kim’s grasp. While Goblin was distracted with his monologue, Jack snuck up behind him. Once he was close enough, he lodged the blade into the juncture of Goblin’s neck and shoulder. The beast let out a scream, stumbling away from the teenagers. Sami let out a breath of relief as the pressure of Goblin’s foot disappeared. Kim moved Ron to safety before rejoining her friends. Jack crouched by Sami’s side, helping the brunette to her feet. 

“Jay…” Sami said before falling against him. 

“Hey, hey. I got you. It’s okay.” Jack whispered. 

Kim was at their side in an instant, “Are you guys okay?” she asked. 

Jack nodded, but Sami did not reply. This caused the duo to look at the brunette with concern. Kim called Sami’s name, but again, she did not answer. Jack tried, this time urgently as Goblin regained his senses. The green beast pulled the scalpel from his neck and threw it away from himself. A growl escaped the brunette, causing the blonde and the red-head to look at the metahuman in shock and confusion. Jack pulled Sami away from his chest, looking down into inky black eyes with glowing blue and green irises. Kim muttered a curse under her breath as she advised Jack to release Sami and back away slowly. He did, surprised to see that Sami stood on her own, as if no longer in pain or weak. Goblin laughed, asking if that was the best they had. His voice drew Sami’s attention to him, the brunette’s head snapping toward Goblin’s direction. 

“Back for more, Whelp?” Goblin asked. 

A growl was his only reply and warning before the brunette charged at him at full speed. She tackled him to the ground, pounding her fists viciously into his face. A roar escaped her throat as she bit into his shoulder. A pained scream left the Goblin’s mouth, throwing the wild brunette off of himself. The brunette landed in a crouch on her hands and the balls of her feet, teeth bared like some kind of wild animal. Another roar left Sami as she charged again, this time head-butting Norman in the abdominal region before crunching his face against her knee. She spun around before kicking him in the same spot she headbutted him, sending him flying across the lab. His back collided with another computer terminal, causing it to explode into sparks of electricity. Sami was on him in a moment, punching him in the face, chest, and abdomen until her knuckles bled. 

“What the hell?” a voice called out, causing Jack and Kim to look toward the source. 

Peter Parker, now dressed as Spider-Man, stood at the entrance of the lab with Iron Man and Hob-Goblin at his sides. A dozen or so SHIELD agents stood behind them, ready for the worst. By now, Goblin was unconscious, his form turning back to human. Sami stood over him with bleeding knuckles, teeth bared and eyes still vicious. She pulled a sword from its sheath, causing Jack to run over to her to prevent her from landing the final blow. Kim called out after him, chasing him just in case Sami turned and attacked him. He grabbed the brunette’s wrist, causing Sami to turn and roar at him. How dare he stop her? Kim grabbed Sami’s other arm, earning a growl. Kim shook her head at her, silently begging her not to do it. That she would regret it later. Jack forced Sami to put her sword away, turning her around so that he could hold her in his arms. He shook his head at her, hand on her cheek. 

“Don’t do it. I know Norman doesn’t deserve mercy, but he’s not good enough for the salvation of death.” He said. 

Sami, deep down, could hear him, but she was not in control. The demonic was. She growled, but Jack wouldn’t give up, “Please. Please, come back. Come back to me Sami.” He said, caressing her arms and laying his forehead against hers. 

Sami faltered, as if debating whether or not to attack, but she didn’t. Her eyes closed for a moment as she took a deep breath. Once her breathing became steady and she calmed down enough, eyes opened to reveal crystal blue orbs once more. A small gasp escaped her as she regained control of herself fully. She looked up into his eyes before embracing him fully, head resting on his chest. Though surprised, Jack hugged her back, head resting on top of her own. Both cried tears of relief, happy that things would be back to normal. Kim smiled, joining in on the hug. Sami pulled away from Jack, happy eyes turned confused as they fell upon his chest. Jack followed her gaze to the flesh over his heart, raising a brow. There was what appeared to be a tattoo over his heart, a word written in what appeared to be rune, but they could not figure out what it said. Sami traced it with her finger, as if doing so would reveal the word. She looked up at him once more. 

“Did I…?” Sami was about to ask before Spider-Man and Hob-Goblin ran over to the group, embracing their children. Tony did not have a child, so he and Kim just exchanged looks, shrugged, and embraced each other as well. Kim needed, and deserved, a hug after all of this madness.

Ron finally regained consciousness as a SHIELD medic tended to him. He ran a hand through his hair before scratching the back of his neck.

“What did I miss?” he asked the medic.


	11. Recovery and Epilogue

It had been three days since the incident and Carmine's demise. Norman Osborn was now in SHIELD custody, sitting in the same cell built for the likes of Thor and the Hulk. Supposedly, the billionaire had called for his attorney and was awaiting freedom. Nick Fury had half a mind to tell the man to kindly "Fuck off" but the attorney had gotten the United States government involved. Officials had been hesitant at first, remembering that the evil genius was also a monster who had threatened humanity's safety on numerous occasions. They eventually caved however, when presented with the fact that Norman was **_still_** a U.S. citizen who was entitled to his rights. After a meeting with the SHIELD Board of Directors, they came to an agreement that they would free Norman, but he had to undergo treatment to "cure" him of his Goblin side and that any dangerous materials would be confiscated from his lab.

Norman was not especially happy about that little detail, but if it earned him his freedom, he would just have to deal with it. He could always manufacture more under another guise or pet project. Though he now knew not to rely on the likes of demons or the supernatural. Both were about as useless as the pathetic heroes.

Jack, Sami, Kim, and Ron all sat in the infirmary, getting their injuries and wounds checked out. Sami's regenerative abilities managed to cure her of most of her physical wounds, the only thing that took a bit longer to heal was the scratch she had managed to receive from Carmine during their fight. Jack had multiple cuts and bruises, plus a minor concussion, a black eye, and a sprained wrist. Kim had mild concussions as well as cuts and bruises. She had sustained a cut that ran from above her eyebrow, through it, and along her temple as well as a busted lip. Ron had a concussion as well as his own bumps and bruises. He had to be monitored around the clock by medics, but it was more than likely that he would be fine.

Peter, Harry, and Tony stood guard around the teenagers, not letting any of them out of their sights. After they had snuck out of the hospital the first time, Bloom had been so hysteric and scared that something bad had happened to them. Peter promised he would find them and that they would not get hurt. He broke only half of that promise, but was making it up now. They would not bat an eye unless he knew about it. This amused the hell out of Tony, who used the "Buddy System" should one of the teens should go to the bathroom. Tony especially loved embarrassing his niece and her friends. What? He promised Peter that he was going to be **_that_** uncle when he had kids.

"So, are we in probation trouble? Or like, grounded trouble?" Sami asked meekly.

"Oh, no. You're all definitely grounded." Peter said.

"Not us though, right?" Kim asked, "Cause, you didn't call mine and Ron's parents...did you?"

Tony chuckled, "You thought Pete would **_not_** call your parents and let them know what the hell was going on?"

"We're grounded too?" Ron asked.

"Damn right you are." Peter replied, "Luckily, because you all managed to stop an event that could have been _**r**_ ** _eally_** bad, stopped a demon, and saved an innocent life despite risking your own lives...two and half weeks of nonstop training and no missions without a chaperone. Training starts at 5:30 Monday morning."

"...Fair enough." Jack deadpanned.

The teenagers exchanged concerned looks and talked amongst themselves. There were disgruntled whispers, specifically from Ron. Kim and Sami nodded at whatever was being said. They were quietly wondering if the "No Chaperone" rule applied to just the four of them or their entire team. Jack assumed that it had to apply to the whole team as well if they were going to be with them. Ron brought up the point that Jake Long and his team operated on their own. Sami said that that end of New York was boring and the mystical creature issues only happened once every two or three weeks and only lasted two or three days tops. At least, that was what Rose had told her, so that part of the team often tagged along with them on missions instead of just spending their nights patrolling the streets.

While they talked amongst themselves, Agent Romanoff came to them with a file in hand. When given a questionable look, Natasha explained that Fury wanted a full report about the mission as well as full explanations and eye-witness accounts. Basically, they wanted an entire mission report on what happened, even though it was an unofficial mission. It was necessary because SHIELD had to get involved and use their resources and agents to assist them. Peter rolled his eyes but accepted the file anyway. He would do it later when he felt like filling it out. If he felt like doing it that is.

"So, how pissed is Mom?" Sami asked, interrupting Peter's train of thought.

Another chuckle escaped his lips, "She was about to kill you herself when she found out you snuck out." He explained.

Sami smiled, "I don't know what would have been scarier then; a demon or an angry Mom."

"Honestly, your mom would have been scarier." Jack said.

"Really?" Kim asked, "Your mom seems so sweet."

At that, both Peter and Sami burst out laughing while Jack gave Kim an incredulous look. She asked if it was something she had said to which Tony burst out laughing as well, telling the red-head to spend more time at the house, specifically when Peter or Sami never checked in during patrol. Or if one of them did something stupid to which Tony coughed "Sami", earning a pout from the young brunette.

"So...what now? Is Carmine really gone for good this time?" Harry asked.

Sami nodded, "Should be. Ron read the spell right so Carmine should be several realms over and won't be able to return...unless someone helps him." She explained.

"Wow, don't get our hopes up too soon, Negative Nancy." Kim said sarcastically.

Sami rolled her eyes, "Just saying, with a guarantee, that Carmine is no longer a threat. Not many beings in the galaxy are very willing to bargain with a demon so we should be good for a couple hundred years."

"...Unless someone helps him." Ron added, causing Kim to nudge him roughly in the arm with her elbow.

The Teen Heroes decided at that moment to just drop it, preferring not to think about the "What Ifs". The good thing was that Carmine was gone and was not going to be an issue they would have to worry about dealing with soon. Another good thing was that they were all safe and sound, minus the fact that they all sustained injuries of some kind. One thing was for sure; this mission had changed their perspective. Before, their enemies were your typical run of the mill "Take Over the World" type villains who only meant to give them a good fight. Not a lot of them meant to kill them or assault them in the same manner that Carmine had. Sami had a bit of experience, but not the rest of them. Rest assured, they were grateful for the goofy villains they faced on a daily basis.

* * *

After a week of recovery and undergoing punishment via intensive SHIELD training as well as the constant scolding of her parents, Kim decided she was going to pay Sami a visit and hang-out thanks to the three-day weekend from school. She would have visited Jack, but she had gotten a text from the blonde informing her, as well as the rest of their teammates, that he was going to be spending the weekend down the shore with his father and Barnard. Supposedly, Sami had somehow snuck around SHIELD as well as her father and proceeded with her usual heroine duties solo. Only Kim and Ben were aware of Sami's activities. When Kim had arrived to meet with the brunette, the other girl was in her lab testing something she had recovered from one of her recent missions.

"Sami! Where are you at?" Kim hollered, letting herself into the lab with the keycard and security override codes Sami had given her.

"In here!" Sami hollered from some room.

Kim rolled her eyes, not exactly sure where "Here" was but followed the sound of Sami's voice anyway. The brunette should know that the red-head was **_not_** a mind reader like her. She was about to ask the other to be a bit more specific about where "Here" was, but the sound of something made of metal hitting the floor led the cheerleader to the exact room. Kim greeted the other. Sami did not look up from her work, but offered her friend a small "hey" in response. Kim canted her head at the odd-looking device sitting on the examination table. It looked like a small egg but made of crystal instead of eggshell. The odd-looking thing glowed a faint purple color and sounded as though it hummed with some mystical energy.

"What is that?" Kim asked curiously.

"If I knew, I would be inputting information into the computer instead of poking and prodding at it." Sami said, still not looking up from her examination.

Kim rolled her eyes, "Okay, then where did you get it from?" she asked.

"It was kind of just sitting in a bush. Found it outside of the detention facility after dropping the robbers off in prison. Might be of alien origin. Possibly magic. I'm going to go the middle road and say possibly supernatural in origin." Sami concluded.

Kim nodded, "Really? I thought maybe it came from a radioactive chicken." She said.

"Ha, very funny." Sami replied.

Just then, she stabbed the egg just a bit too hard with the scalpel. This caused the crystal egg to explode into sparks of electricity. Sami cursed as she dropped her tools and went to move Kim out of harm's way. The second she touched Kim's arm, the electricity shot through Sami and into Kim. They convulsed as they were shocked by the purple static. As sudden as it started, the electricity died down, throwing the teenagers away from each other with one final explosion of sparks. Kim was thrown backward out the door, skidding painfully across the floor. Sami was thrown through a wall, causing the weapons in the cases along the wall to clatter to the floor, glass shelves shattering as well. The mystical looking egg seemingly disappeared into thin air. And then...all was quiet.

Kim woke with a jolt, gasping for breath. She frantically looked around, trying to remember where she was and why. After scanning the room, she remembered that she was in Sami's lab and was supposed to be hanging out with her best friend. Then...some purple alien egg shocked the ever-loving hell out of the two teenagers. She weakly called out Sami's name, worried for the brunette's safety. She did not hear an immediate response, but soon heard the younger let out a pained "what the hell just happened?" Kim got on to her feet and rushed back into the examination area, watching as the brunette pulled herself out of the mess of weapons and glass. Though Kim was confused, because she could **_hear_** Sami talking but she did not **_see_** the other girl moving her lips.

"What?" Kim asked.

Sami looked up at her in confusion, "What?"

"You just said something, but I..." Kim trailed off.

'What the hell?' I didn't say anything." Sami said.

"You just...what the hell is happening?" Kim asked.

'What is wrong with her?' "I'm not sure. Are you okay?"

"There's nothing wrong with me!" Kim protested.

Another look of confusion crossed Sami's face, explaining that she never said that there was something wrong with the red-head. Kim protested again, informing the other that she just heard her ask "What was wrong with her?" Sami insisted that she never asked, but then stopped. Realization washed over her. Sami could no longer hear Kim's thoughts...but now Kim could somehow hear hers. The brunette shot to her feet in an instant, mentally panicking. This caused Kim further distress as she listened to the brunette panic. Sami stopped her rapid thoughts, realizing that this was not helping in keeping Kim calm.

Sami held out her hands in defense, "Kim. I don't exactly know how, but that egg...the one I was working on? Well, it caused something that somehow transferred my telepathic ability to you and now..." She began to explain.

"I can read minds..." Kim gasped.


End file.
